On Friday, April 4, 2025, a symposium entitled "Spa Tourism and Natural Healing Factors" was held at the Naftalan Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation in Ivanić-Grad. The symposium was jointly organized by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Croatia, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Croatian National Tourist Board, the Croatian Chamber of Economy, and the Naftalan Special Hospital.
The aim of the symposium was to highlight the importance of spa services in special hospitals across Croatia and to present the potential of natural healing factors, such as naphthalene therapy, thermal waters and medicinal mud. The symposium was attended by the Minister of Health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Irena Hrstić, Deputy Prefect of Zagreb County Ervin Kolarec, representatives of the Ministry of Health in the field of health tourism, prefects and representatives of regional self-government, directors of special hospitals and spas, the Mayor of Ivanić-Grad, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the Croatian Tourist Board, the Croatian Chamber of Economy, as well as representatives of the tourist boards of Zagreb County and Ivanić-Grad.
During the symposium, all specialized hospitals providing health tourism were granted official health resort status. Naftalan Hospital was granted the special status of "Naftalan Health Resort", confirming its unique role and significance in health tourism in Croatia and the region. The scope of service provision, investments in development and determination of the healing properties of natural factors were also discussed.
The Special Hospital for Orthopedics and Rehabilitation "Martin Horvat" Rovinj-Rovigno has been granted the status of a service provider in health tourism as a climatic and thalassotherapy health resort.
The status was presented by Minister Irena Hrstić, and received by the hospital director Barbara Peruško.
This status represents the foundation for the further development of spa tourism, with an emphasis on the promotion and evaluation of treatment and prevention based on climatotherapy and thalassotherapy.
