The closing conference was held in the Marble Room of the Széchenyi Bath in Budapest on the 25th of November 2014. Dr. Ádám Ruszinkó, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy attended the event. The Swiss donor was represented by Ambassador Jean-François Paroz and the Swiss Contribution Office.
The project developed a new health tourism brand called „Healing Regions” that is attractive to tourists and includes easy-to-identify target destinations. The features of the new brand are based on the healing factors of the Mátra hills and its surroundings and the City of Debrecen area, and comprises of different sub-brands based on the specific features of these two areas. These offer mainly adequate, high standard medical care, subalpine climate, healing cave, mofetta and spa.
The research exploring the healing factors of the region has determined an important basis for future health tourism. It was carried out by the Lead Partner Mátrai Gyógyintézet (Therapeutic Institute of Mátra Mountains) in collaboration with the specialists of the Univeristy of Debrecen utilising also the advisory assistance of a Swiss expert.
A medical handbook has been prepared that sets out the conditions needed for health tourism and the quality assurance requirements, and a new ranking system for medical hotels has been elaborated. In addition, thanks to an online reservation system, the new health tourism program packages can be placed on the market. An accredited education and training program now ensures provision of high quality medical services by skilled employees.
In order to sustain the project results a medical tourism destination management organization has been established. The project partners expect that their offers will help to protect and promote the health of the population and that the services provided will result in an improved quality of life for the sick and the healthy alike.
