Exploring Muslim Tourist Intention on Shariah Tourism to ...
Exploring Health Tourism and seizing its opportunities
Transcript of Exploring Health Tourism and seizing its opportunities
Exploring Health Tourism and seizing its opportunitiesDeveloping Medical Tourism in the OIC Member Countries
Virtual meeting, 15TH MEETING OF THE COMCEC TOURISM WORKING GROUP
September 24th, 2020
Medical tourism: Preliminary remarks
• Not too well defined and sketchy data
• Different estimates of size and value
• Fast-growing phenomenon, growing interest from tourists
for prevention and wellness
• Overall importance of adequate healthcare infrastructure
for tourism destinations
• COVID-19 is triggering and accelerating changes: safe
and seamless travel more important than ever!
Health Tourism
Medical Tourism Wellness Tourism
Health TourismForms of tourism which have as a primary motivation the contribution to
physical, mental and spiritual health through medical and wellness-based
activities which increase the capacity of individuals to satisfy their own
needs and function better within their environment and society.
A Global Platform for the Healthcare System
Source: Medical Tourism Association, 2019
Medical tourism: reasons for travelling
• lack of services in home country
• more up-to-date technology
• better quality treatment
• more cost-effective care (incl. from
perspective of insurance companies)
• capacity constraints: avoiding waiting times /
lists
• More informed and savvy consumers
• Privacy
Factors shaping medical tourism• Over-burden health care systems driven by aging population and new lifestyles.
• Urbanization. Mainly chronic diseases.
• Increasing investments (often FDI) in medical tourism, technology, know-how and world
class facilities.
• Quality. World class facilities and services, accreditation/certification, standards.
• Technological developments. For instance laparoscopy.
• Wearables, M-health and e-health: smart solutions can define personal treatment plans.
• Protection of personal health data (i.e. privacy) information and legislation.
• Cross-border Patient Mobility. Especially in the EU.
Opportunities Challenges• Demographic changes
• New Lifestyles
• New segments (youth)
• Product development
• Technological advances, digitalization (digital healthcare, telemedicine) and innovation.
• Growing/pent-up demand
• Domestic and regional tourism
• Regional medical hubs
• Increasing Investment
• Marketing and promotion
• Research and market intelligence
• Trusted certification
• Safety and health protocols
• Accessibility (visas, travel restrictions, connectivity…but also senior segments and people with disabilities)
• Collaboration health + tourism + other entities and public-private partnerships
• Skills & training
• Sustainability (healthcare, wellbeing of citizens and tourists)
• Evolution of the pandemic
• Economic environment: value for money
• Reliable data
• Regulation and Ethics
“IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE REBUILD THE TOURISM SECTOR IN A SAFE, EQUITABLE AND CLIMATE FRIENDLY MANNER” UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
Michel JulianTourism Market Intelligence and [email protected]