Dental tourism in Albania (A study that explores the factors that attract foreign tourists to benefit from dental services in Albania)

Abstract

Tourism is an important and influential sector for the economy, creating multiple uses and benefits. Dental tourism as part of tourism as a whole has seen an increase all over the world. People are traveling from their countries to get dental treatment at a much lower cost and in a much shorter time than in their own countries. Even in Albania, dental tourism has had an increasing number of foreigners looking for dental clinics for their oral health.This study explores the factors that attract foreign (Italian) tourists to benefit from dental services in Albania. For data collection, 100 questionnaires addressed to dental tourists (Italian) are used, in the form of an interview as a structured conversation, where the dental assistant asks questions and the dental tourist gives answers, during the period January-September 2023. Through the descriptive analysis, we obtained an overview of the characteristics of the sample under study according to the data of the structured questionnaire, respectively: The first part (sociodemographic characteristics), the second part (dental factors), (price, quality, promotion, of dental services), (opinions on tourism in Albania). One of the main strengths of this study is the focus on dental tourism, which has not been studied very much in Albania.The study will have a modest impact on those responsible for the development of the tourism industry by making them aware of the factors that motivate foreigners to travel to Albania. In conclusion, Albania is now a favorite destination for many tourists who can get the necessary dental care while also creating unforgettable memories.