OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of the three most common types of treatment nationwide.

METHODS: Our data were obtained from the Central Statistical Office. The list of spa and other medical care treatment contained 11 activities. The examined period was the year of 2014.

RESULTS: The most commonly performed treatment in the country was medicinal thermal water (n = 2.076.148), the second was medical massage therapy (n=1.642.037), and the third was underwater group physiotherapy (n=686.773). In the year of 2014, the three most common user of medicinal thermal water therapy was Central Hungary (483.103), Western Transdanubia (455.256), and Southern Great Plain (383.578). The second place in Hungary for the frequency of performed treatments are medical massage therapy. The mostly frequented treatments were performed in Northern Great Plain (n = 405,856), then in the Southern Great Plain (n = 366,675) and Western Transdanubia. The underwater group physiotherapy meant a greater discrepancy in the national context between the number of treatments. The number of this therapy was the most significant factor in the Northern Great Plain (n = 227,174), in the Southern Great Plain (n = 153,584) and in Southern Transdanubia (n = 87,176).

CONCLUSIONS: Regional differences may arise from the fact that the opportunities provided by the environment do not make the treatment available in some regions. As a long term goal cooperation between the tourism industry and the professional physicians needs to be developed to overcome regional differences. As a marketing tool, it is necessary to emphasize the positive effects of spa services both in outpatient and inpatient care.