Looking through the course of development of modern tourism, the use of resources for focusing of the tourists on long-term travel and the organization of tours on this basis draws attention. In this regard, creating tourism potential by using these sources in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, distinguished by its diversified tourism resources, is one of the priorities. Given modern tourists mostly choose tourist-recreational destinations, we can talk more about the opportunities of Nakhchivan's treatment tourism.
Protection of health is one of the main concerns of each person. The use of natural resources has yet to be widespread in ancient times. At present, health tourism is rapidly developing in the world and has reached almost 14% of all tourism turnover. That is because of the importance of treatment tourism and the humanitarian functions it performs. Establishment of sanatorium and resort facilities as important places for treatment tourism services is also important in the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of various diseases based on the use of natural resources. It should be noted that this is also an economic field that offers facilities for the use of natural recreational resources and provides conditions for employment.
In modern times, further development of this field is in the focus of the state. The main purpose is the protection of the health of the population using effective sanatorium and resort resources of our country. As noted in the State Program on the development of resorts in the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2009-2018, the activity of the resort is an important part of the state's socio-economic policy in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The developed resort complex that meets the massive demand has been created thanks to the state policy carrying out for many years.
Treatment tourism refers to the category of social tourism for its content. In other words, this offer has some concessions, especially for people of a particular category, because people are exploiting time and money for health-care. It should be noted that there is a term in the recommendations of the World Tourism Organization and states to provide the opportunity to offer the necessary tourism services at a discounted price for people's health. These principles are the main content of the work on the treatment tourism in our autonomous republic. The infrastructure in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, its updating in line with the modern standards, the employment of the population, and in general, the development of other services were provided.
The services of such treatment tourism, organized by the Duzdag Physiotherapy Center, Daridagh Arsenic Water Treatment and Aghbulag Recreation Center among the existing mineral, water and climate resources available for the treatment tourism in Nakhchivan is an important part of the overall tourism potential of the region.
In recent years, the Duzdag Physiotherapy Center receives about 3500-4000 patients each year. In the center which was commissioned in 1979, it was impossible to meet the current demand sufficiently, since it did not have the necessary conditions. The modern conditions created here for patients, medical and other personnel since 2008 have opened up a great deal of opportunities for treatment tourism today. Apart from Baku and Sumgayit cities, which are offshore and damp regions of our country, as well as from Guba, Gusar, Gabala, Shamkir, Goranboy, Barda, Yevlakh, Lankaran and Masalli including people from Turkey, Georgia, Ukraine, Iran, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and England find the opportunity to treat upper respiratory tract diseases. At the same time the ancient history of Nakhchivan and Duzdagh, the Salt Museum created here is a great opportunity for tourists to get acquainted with. In December last year, the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic granted the status of legal entity to the Duzdag Physiotherapy Center of the Ministry of Health of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to meet the growing demand of people who want to be treated in Duzdag. This status will work even more efficiently in the future in the recovery of people's health.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has about 250 mineral water sources with different chemical composition and temperature. 24 million liters of water flow daily from these springs. The healing importance of Nakhchivan's mineral waters was known from ancient times. The population used these waters to be treated in the past.
Daridagh water in the Julfa region has been widely used in the treatment of diseases such as bone and joint, muscular system diseases, including "salting" from ancient times. Starting its activities in 1978, Daridagh Arsenic Water Treatment Facility was reconstructed and upgraded in accordance with modern requirements in 2005. There are all conditions for the examination, treatment and recreation of the patients. The highway from the Nakhchivan-Ordubad highway to the healing source has been asphalted and reconstructed. In October 2017, the Chairman of the Supreme Majlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic signed a Decree on the reorganization of the Daridagh Arsenic Water Treatment Facility. According to the decree, the treatment facility got the status of the legal entity. This, undoubtedly, opens wide opportunities for the population to enjoy the services of such an important health resort. The use of relevant climate for recovery is also urgent in the modern era as in the past. Thus, the climate sources used for resort purposes are the most affordable source of leisure for the whole population. Additionally, the aesthetic pleasure of watching the beauty of nature also has a powerful healing value and helps to eliminate the negative energy accumulated in a person's psychological state. In this sense, Aghbulag Recreation Center in Shahbuz district, which was commissioned in July 2013, was soon recognized as a mountainous-climate resort in Nakhchivan. Aghbulag Recreation Center, which has beautiful landscapes and climatic features, has gained an important place in the implementation of social tourism projects. Hundreds of children and young people have been resting here free of charge. Among them there are people with limited physical abilities, excellent students and pupils, as well as those who are active in the socio-economic and cultural life of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The organization of camps in the recreation center attracts attention not only in spring and summer, but also in all seasons of the year. In addition, the number of those who stay with family in Aghbulag increases year by year. Especially in the hot summer days, demand for this place is growing.
There is a great potential for treatment tourism in Nakhchivan. In the new era, the organization and management of treatment tourism in the ancient land is one of the key conditions for the development of this area. There is a need to organize work in this field on the basis of market economy conditions.
This involves the application of progressive management, the efficient use of all resources of the autonomous republic.
Ali JABBAROV
“Sharg gapisi” newspaper