Prospects of health and recreation tourism development in the region

One of the most popular kinds of touristic activity in the current context is health and recreation tourism. This article reveals present difficulties and prospects of its development. The authors present their approach to the definition of health and recreation tourism essential and content. Its forms are revealed: medical, therapeutic and health-improving tourism. The history of health resort business development is presented. Specifics of formation and functioning of health resorts in Russia are considered. The authors prove the increasing role of medical type of tourism under current conditions. Nowadays health care market is actively developing, its infrastructure is expanding. This type of tourism contributes to public health service development, invention of modern technics and methods of examination and treatment, as well as to postgraduate education of medical personnel and improvement of health care services. The modern medical tourism forms a new conception of health care services, offering new opportunities for medical problems solution. Main components of health and recreation tourism potential are determined: natural resources, good environmental conditions and infrastructure of the territory. The authors prove that the most objective and complete assessment of health and recreation tourism potential is possible due to the index method. Based on the assessment's results territories with the highest potential level are defined. Recommendations on the formation of therapeutic areas and health resorts are given. The SWOT-analysis revealed positive aspects and constraining factors affecting the realization of health and recreation potential. Effective ways of its further development are determined. The problem is considered on the example of the Vologda Oblast.