Prospects for the Development of Medical (rehabilitation) Tourism in Georgia in Pandemic and Postpandemic Period

Abstract

The article examines COVID-19-iduced problems in Georgia and its positive experience in disease control. It is emphasized that the country has successfully overcome the difficulties caused by coronavirus.

In this connection it is noticed that Georgia has good potential for medical-rehabilitation tourism development – there are many suitable facilities and areas for medical treatment and health-improving.

The opportunities are considered by means of which Georgia can excite interest and attract local and foreign tourists and visitors who are in need of medical treatment and recovery of theirs health.

It is shown that the country is divided into 11 climatic areas and 12 health resort and recreative districts, where there are more than 100 health-resorts and about 180 resort places; the main therapeutic factor is the basis for their classification. Brief information concerning famous Georgian resorts is given in accordance with their medical specialty in table form. There are as follows: mountain-climatic, balneological, coast climatic, balneo-climatic, climate-balneological and mud-bath health resorts. In addition, the article contains information about multispecialty medical treatment and health-improving centers – medical Wellness-resort “Bioli” and Tbilisi Balneological Resort “Tbilisi-SPA”.

The article emphasizes the role of eco-tourism for rehabilitation and health improvement of population and tourists. It is noticed that their recreative activities in ecologically-clean environment, participation in farmers’ work is the best way to recover health.