Naftalan

What Naftalan does

Naftalan is a Croatian private special hospital for medical rehabilitation, founded in 1989 and headquartered in Ivanić Grad, approximately 30 km from Zagreb. It provides inpatient and outpatient medical care across four clinical departments — Dermatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, and Cosmetology — built around two irreplicable natural therapeutic resources: (1) naftalan, a naphthenic medicinal oil sourced from one of only two known deposits in the world (the other being in Azerbaijan), used to treat psoriasis, eczema, psoriatic arthritis, and other inflammatory rheumatic conditions; and (2) saline thermomineral water from 1,300 m depth at 60°C, applied via hydrotherapy, underwater massage, and rehabilitation exercises.

The facility operates 137 beds (including 26 higher-category rooms), 24 naftalan therapy baths, three indoor pools, a fitness center, a kitchen serving 130 meals daily, and is staffed by 9 specialist doctors, 27 physiotherapists, and supporting nurses, massage therapists, cosmetologists, and kinesiologists. Revenue is generated through three streams: HZZO-reimbursed inpatient stays for Croatian insured patients, international self-pay medical tourism (primarily from Germany, Nordic countries, Russia, and Italy), and direct-pay wellness/recreation services (pool access, fitness, massages, cosmetic procedures including Botox, dermal fillers, and PRP). Pricing is published in EUR per night for accommodation-meal bundles and per session for treatments, with packages and an annual pool pass for local wellness demand.

The hospital is led by Director Tea Vukošić Paher, with a deputy director and four assistant directors covering finance, health tourism, nursing, and quality. A subsidiary, Ivalan Terme d.o.o., commercializes naftalan-based cosmetic preparations (creams, oils, shampoos), extending the therapeutic asset into retail skincare. Following the 2020 opening of the Naftalan 2 complex, the business has shifted from a pure inpatient rehabilitation model toward a hybrid medical-wellness destination targeting both insured patients and discretionary consumer spending.

Name

Naftalan

Legal name

NAFTALAN, specijalna bolnica za medicinsku rehabilitaciju

Website

https://naftalan.hr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Naftalan is a Croatian special hospital for medical rehabilitation founded in 1989, treating skin and rheumatic conditions using one of the world's two known naftalan oil deposits and thermomineral water, serving insured patients, international medical tourists, and wellness visitors from a 137-bed facility in Ivanić Grad.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) (62311), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623)

SIC

Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydrotherapy & Thermal Spa Services (Sauna/Steam/Hot Tubs) (HSALAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Thermal Baths, Hot Springs & Saunas (Onsen, Hammams, Banya, Sauna Worlds) (THAJAHAD), Aquatic Physical Therapy & Hydrotherapy (HSADAIAL)

Keywords

• Medical rehabilitation services
• Dermatological treatment
• Therapeutic mineral baths
• Physical therapy services
• Wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ivanić Grad

HQ country

Croatia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medical Rehabilitation Services: Hospital-based medical services including rehabilitation treatments, dermatological treatments, physical therapy, and specialist examinations. Revenue generated through health insurance (HZZO) coverage for Croatian patients and direct payment for international patients.
2. Accommodation and Hospitality: Hospital rooms, hotel accommodation, and apartments with various meal plans (full board, half board, breakfast). 137 beds total including 26 higher-level accommodation units.
3. Wellness and Recreation Services: Spa services, massage, pool access, fitness center, cosmetic treatments, and wellness packages for non-medical visitors and health tourists.
4. Cosmetic Procedures: Medical cosmetology services including IPL treatments, anti-aging therapies, chemical peelings, Botox, dermal fillers, PRP therapy, and specialized skin treatments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Naftalan operates a Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation providing therapeutic treatments using natural naftalan (naphthenic medicinal oil) and salt thermal mineral water, complemented by physical therapy, phototherapy, dermatology, rheumatology, cosmetology, and wellness/recreation services. Integrated accommodation and dining are provided on-site for both insured Croatian patients and international medical tourism patients.

Product overview

Naftalan is a Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation operating since 1989 in Ivanić Grad, Croatia, offering a unified medical rehabilitation platform centered on two unique natural healing resources: naftalan oil (naphthenic crude oil, one of only two deposits in the world) and thermomineral water from 1,300m depth. The portfolio consists of core therapeutic offerings (Naftalan Therapy, Thermal Mineral Water Treatments), clinical departments (Dermatology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, Cosmetology), supported by recreational facilities (Swimming Pool Complex, Fitness Center, Wellness Packages) and accommodation services. The hospital has 9 medical specialists and treats conditions including psoriasis, inflammatory rheumatic diseases, and post-traumatic rehabilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Naftalan Therapy Primary therapeutic treatment using medicinal naftalan oil, a unique naphthenic crude oil with healing properties effective for psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and musculoskeletal disorders. Treatments include naftalan baths, iontophoresis, sonophoresis, manual application, and mastixotherapy.
• Thermal Mineral Water Treatments Therapeutic treatments using saline thermomineral water from 1,300 meters depth at 60°C, containing fluoride, bromide, iodine, and sodium chloride. Used for bathing, hydrokinesitherapy, and providing anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxation, and connective tissue elasticity benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Significant improvement in quality of life for psoriasis patients through naftalan treatments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ivalan Terme d.o.o.coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerIvalan Terme d.o.o. is a subsidiary company of Naftalan that handles the development, manufacturing, and sale of naftalan-based cosmetic preparations including creams, oils, and shampoos. The company aims to develop a complete cosmetic line for problematic skin, dry skin, and scalp care, extending the therapeutic benefits of naftalan beyond the hospital setting.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Buchinger Wilhelmi: Family-owned medical fasting and wellness clinics in Germany and Spain with over 100 years of history. Comparable as a long-established European medical wellness operator combining clinical supervision with spa/hospitality, though its core modality (therapeutic fasting) differs from naftalan therapy.
• Lanserhof Group: Premium European medical wellness resort group (Austria, Germany, UK, Italy) focused on preventive medicine, detox, and rehabilitation programs. Comparable as a high-end medical wellness operator with strong international branding, although it does not leverage a unique natural therapeutic resource like naftalan.

Regional players

• Bizovačke Toplice (Croatia): Croatian thermal spa and rehabilitation hospital using geothermal water for rheumatology, dermatology, and orthopedic rehabilitation. Comparable as a domestic Croatian competitor operating in the same regulatory (HZZO) framework and offering thermal rehabilitation services.
• Terme Selce (Croatia): Croatian seaside wellness and rehabilitation center offering hyperthermal sea-water treatments, physical therapy, and wellness programs. Comparable as a Croatian regional peer combining medical rehabilitation with hospitality/wellness services for both domestic insurance patients and international tourists.
• Veli Lošinj Health Resort (Croatia): Croatian pulmonary rehabilitation and respiratory health resort on Lošinj island focused on respiratory and allergic conditions. Comparable as a Croatian state-affiliated special hospital for medical rehabilitation combining clinical care with a tourism destination model.

Direct peers

• Hévíz Therme (Lake Hévíz, Hungary): One of Europe's largest thermal lake spa complexes offering rheumatology, dermatology, and rehabilitation treatments using natural thermal mineral water. Directly comparable as a medical wellness destination leveraging a unique natural healing resource for musculoskeletal and skin conditions.
• Bad Füssing (Germany): Europe's largest thermal spa resort with 24+ therapeutic thermal springs used for rheumatology and rehabilitation. Directly comparable as a thermal-mineral-water-based rehabilitation and wellness destination serving German-speaking medical tourists.
• Naftalan Sanatorium (Baku, Azerbaijan): The only other facility in the world using naftalan medicinal oil, located in Naftalan, Azerbaijan. Directly comparable because both institutions derive their core therapeutic offering from the same globally unique naphthenic oil resource and target overlapping dermatology and rheumatology indications.
• Bad Bentheim (Germany): German thermal bath and rehabilitation clinic with sulfur-rich mineral springs used for rheumatic and skin conditions. Directly comparable as a combined rehabilitation hospital + thermal spa with similar rheumatology/dermatology indications and a German-speaking international patient base.
• Abano Terme (Italy): Italian thermal spa cluster specialized in hyperthermal saline-bromine-iodine water treatments for arthritis, rheumatology, and post-operative rehabilitation. Directly comparable as a medical thermal-spa destination serving Italian and European medical tourists with similar clinical indications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVy1TxVNDhVVhKP6Fylm9Yg
• Facebookfacebook.com/naftalancroatia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/naftalan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Naftalan