Infra- and suprastructure of health tourism

The infrastructure of tourism includes those establishments which serve the purposes of exploring factors of attractiveness, selling services and making them competitive. (Michalkó G. 2012). A medicinal factor, for example thermal water, may become a tourist attraction only if certain establishments are constructed in order to market it. For example in the case of a thermal spring as an attraction the infrastructure would be a thermal bath. (Michalkó G. 2004). Considering the infra- and suprastructure of health tourism there are complex health tourism centres and clusters as well. (e.g. Monterrey in  Mexico).

Those establishments also belong to the category of the infrastructure of health tourism which serve the puropose of the medical utilization of health touristic factors. Examples include drinking pavilions, promenades, healing gardens, thermal baths, gas- and mudbaths, as well as the establishments of climatic resorts such as parks, gardens and forests. All these establishments and resources may be used by local residents as well.

Patients’ catering and accomodation are provided by the establishments of touristic suprastructure.  Medical and wellness hotels, medicinal baths and hospitals, sanatoria, climatic health care institutions, holiday homes, institutions with a medical cave and a variety of catering establishments belong to the category of primary suprastructural establishments of health tourism.

The aim of the secondary suprastructure of health tourism is to provide the basic conditions for the reception of guests including retail shops, banking and other personal services.