RESIDENTS OPINIONS OF HEALTH TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE REGION OF PRLEKIJA

V diplomskem seminarju sem raziskala zaznavanje domačinov v Banovcih, Radencih in Mali Nedelji o razvoju zdraviliškega turizma v njihovem kraju. Dejavniki turističnega razvoja so za lokalno prebivalstvo zelo pomembni, saj razvoj turizma prinaša pozitivne in negativne učinke, ki jih domačini najbolj opazijo. Predstavila sem razvoj zdraviliškega turizma skozi zgodovino in pomen termalne vode kot dela zdravstvene ponudbe od preteklosti (Sumercev) do danes. Ker je termalna voda vir zdravja in dobrega počutja, je danes nepogrešljiv del turistične ponudbe Prlekije. Rezultati raziskave so pokazali: • Večina domačinov je zadovoljna z razvojem zdraviliškega turizma, saj menijo da je pomemben za kraj v katerem stanujejo. • Kot najpomembnejši pozitivni učinek navajajo možnost zaposlitve. • Lokalno prebivalstvo se zaveda, da turizem spodbuja tudi druge vrste razvoja in da zaradi tega obstaja veliko več možnosti za rekreacijo, zabavo in sprostitev. • Opazijo pa tudi negativne vplive, kot so onesnaževanje, hrup in zviševanje cen, vendar je teh v primerjavi s pozitivnimi učinki občutno manj. • Tako domačini vidijo pozitivno prihodnost v nadaljnjem razvoju zdraviliškega turizma in so pripravljeni sodelovati s turisti.In my diploma seminar I researched the opinions of locals in Banovci, Radenci and Mala Nedelja in relation to the development of health tourism in their home town. Different factors of tourism development are very important for local inhabitants because they bring positive and negative effects to the local people. I wrote about the development of health tourism through history and the use of thermal water in different health options since the times of Sumerian people until today. Thermal water is a source of health and well-being and is a key factor in the tourism offers of the region of Prlekija. The opinion research showed: • That most of the locals are pleased with the tourism development because they believe it benefits their home town or region. • The most stated positive effect are better employment options. • The local inhabitants are aware that tourism encourages other forms of development and that it creates multiple options of recreation, entertainment and relaxation. • The negative effects such as pollution, noise and bigger prices are noticed as well but are fewer compared to the positive. • This creates a positive view into the future of health tourism development and the successful cooperation between locals and tourists