Kyrgyzstan's health tourism potential and a model proposal for sustainable health tourism

This study aims to assess Kyrgyzstan's health tourism potential and propose a sustainable health tourism model. The research population consists of stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan's health tourism sector. The sample was selected using the snowball sampling technique, a non-probability sampling method. The study is designed as action research, following a qualitative research approach. The primary data for the study were obtained through structured interviews with 21 health tourism stakeholders, while secondary data served as supportive evidence. The data were collected between June 30, 2023, and October 30, 2023. Analysis was conducted using the MAXQDA software, and a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis was performed. The key findings indicate that Kyrgyzstan's health tourism supply elements include sanatoriums, thermal tourism, natural resources, traditional treatments, and cultural values. The health tourism potential is centered around thermal tourism and spa & wellness, medical tourism, nature-based tourism, Issyk-Kul Lake, and nomadic culture. In terms of strengths, the study highlights Kyrgyzstan's unspoiled nature, existing health tourism resources, other natural assets, potential for development, personnel capabilities, and favorable climate. However, weaknesses include an underdeveloped and developing sector, inadequate service quality, lack of government support, and insufficient infrastructure. Opportunities lie in the country's potential for health tourism, the possibility of becoming a health tourism hub, mountainous geography, and alternative medicine potential. The threats identified encompass unsustainable tourism development, environmental pollution, lack of awareness, political instability, tourist safety, and hygiene issues. The most significant factor affecting Kyrgyzstan's health tourism potential was found to be the quality of services. Among the types of health tourism and activities that could be developed in Kyrgyzstan, the key areas under thermal tourism include koumiss therapy, spa tourism, therapeutic mud treatments, climatotherapy, and salt caves. In medical tourism, cardiovascular treatments, dental tourism, plastic surgery, and cosmetic surgery are prominent, while the services offered at sanatoriums and resorts were also identified as having development potential. As a result of the study, a sustainable health tourism model for Kyrgyzstan was proposed, consisting of five themes: planning, education, management, finance and investment, marketing strategies, and monitoring and control. Additionally, the study presented the implementation phases and process for the model, and based on the findings, theoretical and practical recommendations were developed.