Public policies for the management of health tourism at the local level
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Public policies are an instrument of governments to solve social problems and represent the way to exploit local endogenous resources. The Cuban policies are aimed at diversifying the tourist offer, with special emphasis on forms such as health tourism. The present study aimed to propose a model of public policies for the management of health tourism at local level. A mixed methodology was used. The study was defined as exploratory, descriptive and explanatory; the methods of analysis-synthesis, induction-deduction, literature review, document analysis, survey and the Delphi method were used. The analysis of methodological background led to the elaboration of a new proposal adapted to the characteristics of the Cuban local context. The objective, principles and premises underpinning the tool were established, as well as the fundamentals of the components and their interrelationships, which contributed to its graphical modelling, and the tool was validated by the evaluation of a team of experts. It was found to be necessary and relevant based on the gaps identified in the scientific literature regarding the design of public policies for health tourism at the local level.
Downloads
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
Arteaga Prado, Y. (2022). Metodología para la gestión de las políticas laborales en municipios con vocación turística basada en alianzas público privadas [Doctorado en Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Pinar del Río «Hermanos Saíz Montes de Oca»]. https://observatorio.anec.cu/uploads/files/a83198a0-d1c1-11ee-8ffa-5dbd9379b7d2/Metodolog%C3%ADa_para_la_gesti%C3%B3n_de_las_pol%C3%ADticas_laborales.pdf
Consejo de Estado. (2024). Decreto-Ley No. 88. Sobre las micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas. Gaceta Oficial de la República de Cuba, Edición Ordinaria No. 78. https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.cu/es/decreto-ley-88-de-2024-de-consejo-de-estado
Consejo de Ministros. (2025). Decreto 140. De la descentralización de competencias y transferencia de recursos hacia los territorios. Gaceta Oficial de la República de Cuba, Edición Extraordinaria No. 99. https://www.gacetaoficial.gob.cu/es/decreto-140-de-2025-de-consejo-de-ministros
Gholipour, H. F., & Esfandiar, K. (2025). Does medial tourism promote growth in healthcare sector? The European Journal of Health Economics, 26(2), 233-241. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-024-01700-3
González Paris, E. (2008). Procedimiento para analizar el lugar y papel que desempeña la política económica en el diseño del resto de las políticas públicas en la construcción del socialismo en Cuba [Doctorado en Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Matanzas «Camilo Cienfuegos»]. https://rein.umcc.cu/handle/123456789/3595
Guo, R., Qi, Y., Xie, X., & Liu, R. (2026). Health tourism model in the digital age: Emotional healing effects of disembodied landscape perception through social media. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 6785. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36305-8
Kim, K.-H., & Lee, Y. (2021). An Analysis of Policy Paradigm Changes in Medical Tourism Policy: Application of Policy Change Model and Policy Network Model. Journal of Tourism Enhancement, 9(1), 39-64. https://doi.org/10.35498/kotes.2021.9.1.039
Liu, M., & Wang, B. (2025). Integrating natural non-pharmaceutical therapies into medical tourism: A dynamic health portrait-driven model for proactive older adult health and public health services. Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1580082. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1580082
Loghman Estarki, S. (2025). Designing a Conceptual Model for the development of health tourism in the country: A Grounded Theory Approach. International Journal of Travel Medicine and Global Health, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.30491/ijtmgh.2024.489070.1442
Miranda Lorenzo, Y. O. (2024). Modelo de competencias directivas para la gestión de la política de cuadros en los servicios hospitalarios [Doctorado en Ciencias Económicas, Universidad de Matanzas «Camilo Cienfuegos»]. https://rein.umcc.cu/handle/123456789/4135
PCC. (2021). Lineamientos de la Política Económica y Social del Partido y la Revolución para el período 2021-2026. Partido Comunista de Cuba. https://www.pcc.cu/sites/default/files/documentos/2023-06/conceptualizacion-del-modelo-economico-y-social-cubano-de-desarrollo-socialista-y-lineamientos-de-la-politica-economica-y-social-del-partido-y-la-revolucion-para-el-periodo-2021.pdf
Ramírez Álvarez, D. T. (2023). Modelo pedagógico para la preparación de los cuadros en la Administración Provincial del Poder Popular de Matanzas [Doctorado en Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de Matanzas «Camilo Cienfuegos»]. https://rein.umcc.cu/handle/123456789/2303
Rojo Chaviano, M. L., León Reyes, Y., González Paris, E., & Peñate Villasante, A. G. (2026). Perfil de la demanda de turismo de salud que visita el destino Varadero, Cuba. Uniandes Episteme. Revista de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, 13(2), 303-317. https://doi.org/10.61154/rue.v13i2.4540
Tangon, S., Theeranuvat, P., & Ngaoprasertwong, S. (2025). The C.A.R.E.-M.E.D. model: Strategic cafrbon-neutral wellness tourism for medical travelers in Thailand. Thai Interdisciplinary and Sustainability Review, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.14456/TISR.2025.62
Torres Paez, C. C., Gómez Ceballos, G., González Pérez, M., Ares Fuego, E., Cardoso Carreño, R., & Flores Lóriga, J. (2018). Modelo para la gestión de políticas territoriales de desarrollo local a escala municipal en Cuba. Anales de la Academia de Ciencias de Cuba, 8(1), e405. http://www.revistaccuba.cu/index.php/revacc/article/view/405
Zeng, B. (2026). A Conceptual Framework for Tourism Development and the Evolution of Local Healthcare Systems: International Comparative Cases. Tourism and Hospitality, 7(2), 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/tourhosp7020042
Zhong, Z. (2025). Formulation and impact of wellness tourism policy on household income in rural China [Doctoral thesis, Lingnan University]. https://scholars.ln.edu.hk/en/studentTheses/formulation-and-impact-of-wellness-tourism-policy-on-household-in/
