Monday, October 16, 2006
Croatia tempts tourists with cheap dental care
ROVINJ, Croatia (Reuters) - Croatia, already a popular holiday destination for sunseekers, is now tempting tourists with the offer of dental services at less than half the prices paid in western Europe.
Zeljko Popadic and his sister Jelena Nedeljkovic started a modest dental practice in the northern Adriatic town of Rovinj in 1997. They had only three employees and a few local patients.
Less than a decade later, their reputation has reached foreign markets as Europeans take advantage of low prices in former communist countries.
"Some 10 percent of our patients are foreigners and we're confident the number will grow. Most of them are Italians, but there is also a rising number of queries from the United Kingdom," Nedeljkovic, who is in charge of the administrative side of the business, told Reuters.
She said their services were twice as cheap as in Italy and three or four times cheaper than in England, while quality was the same.
Price list at the Popadic clinic Web site says that, for example, simple tooth extraction costs 42 euros ($52.54), while a complete set of dentures costs 725 euros.
They recently attended the Body Beautiful Show in London to present their services and promote the tourist attractions of their town.
Nedeljkovic and her brother hope the new low-cost flights from the UK to Croatia would further boost their business.
Zeljko Popadic and his sister Jelena Nedeljkovic started a modest dental practice in the northern Adriatic town of Rovinj in 1997. They had only three employees and a few local patients.
Less than a decade later, their reputation has reached foreign markets as Europeans take advantage of low prices in former communist countries.
"Some 10 percent of our patients are foreigners and we're confident the number will grow. Most of them are Italians, but there is also a rising number of queries from the United Kingdom," Nedeljkovic, who is in charge of the administrative side of the business, told Reuters.
She said their services were twice as cheap as in Italy and three or four times cheaper than in England, while quality was the same.
Price list at the Popadic clinic Web site says that, for example, simple tooth extraction costs 42 euros ($52.54), while a complete set of dentures costs 725 euros.
They recently attended the Body Beautiful Show in London to present their services and promote the tourist attractions of their town.
Nedeljkovic and her brother hope the new low-cost flights from the UK to Croatia would further boost their business.
# posted by DVDMASTER4 @ 12:34 PM 
