Category Archives: Associations/Organisations/Government/NonGovernment

Dubai CP meets officials …1st and final add

Sheikh Hamdan discussed Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) new initiatives regarding medical tourism in the emirate. He was briefed on the main features of the initiative which are aimed at boosting the international status of Dubai as a favorite international hub for medical tourism through concerted efforts of the concerned departments and their private sectors’ counterparts to introduce integrated and unique model as well as presenting excellent and distinguished services systems in the emirate.

Dubai CP also underlined the importance of launching new initiatives of joint services and facilitations between DHA, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai (DNRD) and stakeholders to ensure the targeted national goals.

WAM/HH/AM

source: http://www.wam.org.ae / April 01st, 2012

Tourism News in Croatia Includes Health Tourism in Split, New Flights & A New Interactive Guide to Dubrovnik

Split The first medical tourism center in Dalmatia and Croatia, which should be completed in the second half of this year, is being constructed in Split. This will be the the residence for pensioners in which some 15 million euros will be invested. The luxury accommodation will include clinics with diagnostic and specialist centers situated within the same facility.

At their disposal within the center, users will have a restaurant, an internet corner, a piano and lounge bar, a cinema and a library. Located on the roof there will be a green oasis with a promenade, an outdoor swimming pool with a sundeck and a wellness and fitness center. The residence will have 54 accommodation units, 40 rooms and 14 suites, with an option to rent them out for the period of five days to 99 years, and will be able to accommodate up to 100 people, which will have 35 employees at their service. The seven-story building will have an underground garage with 105 parking spaces and several business premises – a shop, a bank and a gift shop. The new health tourism center is located almost in the center of the town and is only a 15 minute walk from the beach, promenade and the old town.

The Tourist Board of Split-Dalmatia County

www.dalmatia.hr

The Tourist Board of Split

www.visitsplit.com

New air lines from Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka and Pula to European cities

Vueling, the Spanish low budget airline, will be introducing a new line to Croatia, alongside the already existing line from Barcelona to Dubrovnik, from 23 June until the end of October this year.

Dubrovnik – An interactive tour guide

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik will soon enable its visitors to more easily find out all about the tourist offer of the city. The information guide “GUIDOO – Info Guide System”, a touch sensitive (touchscreen) standalone interactive information pillar, which will also be available via the Internet and mobile applications, will be set up at busy urban locations. The system will allow visitors direct access to all information and offers in real time.

The Tourist Board of Dubrovnik-Neretva County

source: http://www.TravelVideo.tv / March 08th, 2012

Costa Rican Medical Tourism Continues to Grow in 2012

Costa Rica continues to lead the way as a leading medical tourism destination as more and more people are learning the many benefits of traveling to Costa Rica for dental and healthcare.

These internationally accredited medical and dental providers can save you 30% to 70% over US prices.

Costa Rican medical providers are reporting an increase in patients over last year. Some of the medical procedures done recently in Costa Rica were knee and hip replacements, meniscus repairs, gastric sleeve and gastric bypass and plastic surgeons are reporting cosmetic surgeries such as breast implants, face-lifts, tummy tucks and lipo suction. Costa Rican Dental care has always been popular, as people have been coming to Costa Rica to save money on dental care for implants, crowns and veneers for many years.

If you are an employee benefit advisor, TPA, health underwriter, employer, insurance advisors, self-insured group or just an individual interested in, please consider attending the 3rd Annual Medical Travel Conference in San Jose, Costa Rican on April 22-26.

Are you considering Medical Tourism for yourself, your company or your clients? Then this is the only Medical Tourism conference you need to attend. Taking the short flight to Costa Rica you will visit the hospitals and dental clinics, meet the dentist, doctors and their staffs and experience what Costa Rican Medical Care has to offer first hand.

Health care costs in the United States have exploded in recent years, and costs will continue to grow as more people’s health and dental benefits are cut and the number of doctor’s drop out of the system. However, these same procedures are very affordable in Costa Rica. Working with the finest private hospitals and physicians in Costa Rica will help people save hundreds if not thousands of dollars on certain dental and medical care procedures.

You need to see, feel and touch the quality of care Costa Rica offers for yourself. This is something you cannot experience in a convention hall in the states.

With healthcare costs up for grabs in the US and Medicare being slashed, offering a medical tourism option should be on your list. This is a great way for US doctors to expand their practice by forming partnerships with the Costa Rican providers.

source: http://www.InsideCostaRica.com / Costa Rica News/ Thursday, March 08th, 2o12

ROMANIA: Romanian government promotes medical tourism and health/wellness tourism

A new project to strengthen the competitiveness of Romanian medical tourism has been initiated by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism in partnership with the Romanian Ministry of Health, CNAS (Romanian Social Fund) and CMR (College of Romanian Physicians).

Officials say that Romania has a health system equipped with modern equipment and trained doctors, who provide a high level service. In addition, Romania’s medical costs are much lower than in Western European countries.

The medical tourism industry in Romania claims to have attracted 60,000 patients from abroad in 2010, and it is probable that there were more in 2011. Most treatments were eye or dental surgery, but cardiac procedures have been conducted on medical tourists too.

The new alliance has agreed to join forces to promote the Romanian health system abroad and compile official statistics on medical tourism in Romania. The Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism has launched a database that lists every healthcare provider who is interested in treating patients from abroad. The database also provides information on hotels, medical facilities, private clinics, doctors and a list of prices for medical services provided.

Staff of the Romanian Ministry of Health and the College of Physicians will inspect healthcare facilities and evaluate doctors who work there in order to see if the services listed in the database are available and if the doctors are able to provide the necessary quality and standards.

Medical tourists can get a comprehensive full-service package containing the airfare, airport transfers, hotel accommodation, medical appointment at the chosen unit, and a sightseeing tour of the area. One of the most attractive regions for medical tourism might be Romania’s third largest city Iasi as it has many modern hospitals and clinics.

With one-third of all Europe’s mineral and thermal springs, Romania has a huge potential for health treatment based on natural cure factors. The curative properties of Romania’s many spas and health resorts have been used since Roman times. Located throughout all regions of Romania, they offer natural mineral and thermal springs, thermal lakes and naturally therapeutic mud, in a variety of locations and bio-climates, from higher altitudes of the Carpathian Mountains to the Black Sea coast.

Determined to put Romania on the tourism map as one of the world’s top destinations for health and wellness tourism, the Romanian Government has stepped in by making funds available for promotion, and also by selecting and licensing those health resorts that offer treatment conditions complying with EU and international standards. In so doing, the tourism and medical authorities guarantee the quality of treatment. Romania Tourism has launched a spa resorts guide with useful information about health resorts, and treatments available in Romania.

Medical tourism news06 March 2012
Related linkRomania Tourism

TAT ORGANISES FAM TRIP TO BOOST HEALTH AND WELLNESS VISITORS FROM QATAR

Bangkok, February 20, 2012

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has joined forces with the Royal Thai Embassy in Qatar to invite a group of tour operators and media from Qatar to survey medical tourism facilities in Thailand.

The group includes representatives from the Gulf country’s leading travel agencies Darwish Travel, Mannai Air Travel, Regency Travel and Tours, and ITL World Travel, and two media Gulf Times English newspaper and Arrayah Arabic newspaper. They will be in Thailand between 19-24 February 2012.

On 20 February 2012, the group was welcomed by TAT Deputy Governor, Mrs Juthaporn Rerngronasa and attended a special briefing on “Medical Tourism in Thailand” by Dr Med Prapa Wongphaet, Chairman of the Committee on Health Service Business, and on “Spa and Wellness in Thailand” by Mr Apichai Jearadisak, Advisor to the Federation of Thai Spa. They also had a chance to meet with representatives of the TAT, Thai Spa Association and Thai Private Hospital Association.

On 21 February, they will visit Bangkok Hospital, Bumrungrad Hospital and S Medical Spa. Over the following three days, they will tour various popular spots of Bangkok and also take a river cruise to Ayutthaya province, thus allowing them to see the post-flood recovery work in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the richest countries in the world, Qatar was the source of 20,280 visitors (by nationality) for Thailand in 2011, up from 16,017 in 2010. Citizens of Qatar can obtain visa-free entry into Thailand. As of February 2012, there are 21 direct scheduled flights per week between Thailand and Qatar being operated by Qatar Airways.

The Middle East in general and GCC countries in particular, are very important sources of visitor arrivals for Thailand. Both local citizens and expatriates in these countries have high purchasing power, long average length of stay and enjoy the monsoon season. Thailand also has a good image in the Gulf countries for its good quality of products, excellent service standards and the warm traditional hospitality of the Thai people.

Thailand boasts some of the world’s best health and wellness centres offering high standards of both preventive and curative treatment. A pioneer in the field of medical tourism in Asia, Thailand receives more than a million foreign patients annually seeking treatment at 956 public and 309 private hospitals,16 of which are JCI accredited (as of 2011), with another 17 awaiting accreditation.

source: http://www.PattayaMail.com / Home> Travel & Tourism / by TAT / Sunday, February 26th, 2012