Category Archives: Reports,Features, Statistics

KSA sees growth in medical tourist arrivals

Posted on June 29, 2013 | Comments Off on KSA sees growth in medical tourist arrivals
The arrival of medical tourists to Saudi Arabia is projected to increase at a CAGR of 20 percent from 2012 to 2016. (File photo: Reuters)

The arrival of medical tourists to Saudi Arabia is projected to increase at a CAGR of 20 percent from 2012 to 2016. (File photo: Reuters)

The medical tourist arrivals in Saudi Arabia are projected to increase to 105,000 by 2016 at a CAGR of 20 percent for the years 2012-2016, the Middle East Medical Tourism Industry Outlook to 2016 – Advanced Medical Infrastructure Paving the Way for Future Growth report said Tuesday.

It said the medical tourism industry in the Middle is projected to attract 753,500 medical tourists and will generate revenue of $2 billion by 2016.

The UAE is promoting its medical tourism in the world by the creation of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC). The country has the highest number of JCI certified hospitals in the region. In the coming years the UAE is expected to play a significant role in the medical tourism industry in the Middle East region, the report added.

The report pointed out that Jordan is the leader in the medical tourism industry in the Middle East region. The country serves medical tourists from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries in the region. The country offers state of the art medical treatment in all of the 106 hospitals in the country.

Turkey, on the other hand, has a strategic location that makes the country a well-known destination for the medical tourism in the region, the report said.

The country is the second largest country in terms of the medical tourist arrivals and also the second largest in terms of revenue generated through medical tourism.

The creation of the health zones in the country by 2014 is expected to attract more medical tourists to the country. The medical tourism industry is estimated to attract medical tourists thereby generating revenue of $408 million by 2016, the report added.

source: http://www.english.alarabiya.net / Al Arabiya / Home> Lifestyle> Travel & Tourism / (SG) This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette / Wednesday – June 26th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Reports,Features, Statistics

Medical tourism set to exceed RM630m

Posted on June 28, 2013 | Comments Off on Medical tourism set to exceed RM630m

MALAYSIA’S medical tourism industry is expected to grow beyond RM630 million this year, driven by high quality healthcare services at affordable prices, said Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC).

The council has forecast a total of 700,000 foreigners coming to Malaysia for treatment this year.

“The number of foreign patients has jumped by 15 per cent from about 583,000 in 2011 to more than 670,000 last year.

“We expect the momentum to be sustained,” said MHTC chief executive officer Dr Mary Wong.

MaryCT28jun2013

She believes that the high quality yet affordable healthcare facilities and services are the main drivers of the industry.

“This is further boosted by affordable hotel rates and short waiting period in getting medical treatment,” she added.

Malaysia recorded 25 million tourist arrivals last year.

Established in 2009 and under the purview of the Health Ministry, MHTC has been tasked to streamline both private and government healthcare service providers and industry players.

Indonesia, India and Japan were Malaysia’s top three markets in terms of patients seeking medical treatment here last year.

Cardiology, autopathic cancer and in vitro fertilisation are the most sought after services by foreign patients.

Dr Wong was speaking at a press conference by Prince Court Medical Centre, which has been named the top hospital for me-dical tourists this year by Medi-cal Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA).

The luxury private healthcare facility is wholly-owned by Petroliam Nasional Bhd and was built at a cost of RM544 million in 2007.

The hospital was in the spotlight after reporting a combined pre-tax loss of RM653.83 million in 2009 and 2010, but is targeting to be profitable in five years.

“Business is pic-king up, patient volume is growing and our revenue recorded 23 to 25 per cent growth last year,” said Prince Court chief executive officer Dr Chong Su Lin.

source: http://www.btimes.com.my / Business Times / Home> Nation / Friday – June 28th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics

First ever global study on spa & wellness tourism

Posted on June 24, 2013 | Comments Off on First ever global study on spa & wellness tourism

Dr. Laszlo Puczko of Tourism Observatory

The Tourism Observatory for Health, Wellness and Spa proudly announces the first ever Global Spa & Wellness Tourism study. This path-making report was prepared in cooperation with Danubius Hotels Group and enjoyed endorsement from over 50 global companies (e.g., Mandarin Oriental, Thermarium) and national and international organizations (e.g., PATA, ETC, and Hungarian Bath Association).

The GSWTM 2013 collected information from 50+ countries and from 420+ spa and wellness facilities. The key objective was to identify the role tourism and tourists play at various spa and wellness facilities worldwide.

The Report provides industry insights for operators, managers, investors and advisors. Data and information gathered is introduced and discussed in the Report in two major sections:

– By regions (Africa, The Americas, Asia, Australia/NZ, and Europe)

– By spa and wellness facility types

We believe that it is essential to highlight: spa and wellness facilities can come in numerous ways and types. The demand for these establishments is rather varied, too!

Not only facility typology was taken into consideration, but GSWTM also introduces data and information by three major demand segments – local customers, domestic tourists, and international tourists. No operator or investor should assume that “tourists” or “customers” can be uniform. The characteristics of the three major demand segments can and do differ greatly.

The GSWTM 2013 Report provides intelligence regarding the following key themes:

– What is the structure of traveling for health (facilities and services)?

– Market Position of Facilities

– Facility (types) Becoming Popular?

– Services Becoming Popular?

– Business Trend Forecasts for 2013 (number of customer and first-time customers, average revenue per customer, number of treatments sold per visit)

– Business Trend Changes for 2012/2011 (number of customer and first time customers, average revenue per customer, number of treatments sold per visit)

– Typology and Motivation of Customers

– Popular Services & Treatments

– Main Sender Countries (where tourists come from)

– Qualification of Spa and Wellness Staff

– Local and International Marketing Cooperations

– Signature Treatments & Product Packaging

The Tourism Observatory for Health, Wellness and Spa (TOHWS) was created in the spring of 2012 by globally-renowned advisors and researchers. TOHWS provides a platform for industry, investors and academics. To TOHWS, travel for health means travel for total health – medical, wellness, well-being, holistic, spiritual, spa, or medical wellness travel. This holistic approach to health makes TOHWS the only global initiative looking at every aspect of the spectrum.

TOHWS experts have been involved in over 100 industry and academic projects in the field of health and travel during the last 20 years. It has written professional books and articles and participated in international and global projects, as well as very local research and development projects, and spoke at over 50 professional and academic conferences worldwide in the last 3 years.

source: http://www.eturbonews.com / eTN Global Travel Industry News / June 19th, 2013

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Posted in Reports,Features, Statistics, Wellness Tourism

MHTC eyes RM630m revenue for medical tourism

Posted on June 22, 2013 | Comments Off on MHTC eyes RM630m revenue for medical tourism

Kuala Lumpur :

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) expects the medical tourism industry to record RM630mil revenue this year, up from RM584 million last year.

“The number of foreign patients has increased year by year, and last year we had 671,000 patients, an increase from the 583,000 patients recorded in 2011.

“We believe this year, the medical tourism industry will continue to grow and we expect some 700,000 foreign patients will get their treatment here,” Chief Executive Officer Dr Mary Wong Lai Lin told a press conference here today.

Foreign patients continue to choose Malaysia for medical treatment as the country’s medical tourism industry is regulated by the government and the hospitals are well-equipped with the latest technology and facilities, she added.

Dr Wong said among the foreign patients that come to Malaysia for treatment were from Indonesia, India, Japan, China, UK, US, Australia, Bangladesh, Libya and Nepal.

MHTC, established under the Health Ministry, was set up as the primary agency to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry and to position Malaysia as the healthcare destination of choice in the region.

The agency strengthens public-private sector collaboration to formulate strategic plans for the development, promotion and coordination of healthcare travel services for Malaysian healthcare providers and related stakeholders.- Bernama

source: http://www.biz.thestar.com.my / The Star Online / Home> Business> News / Thursday – June 20th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics

New tourism dev’t plan to think ‘beyond beaches’

Posted on June 20, 2013 | Comments Off on New tourism dev’t plan to think ‘beyond beaches’

The Philippines  must think “beyond beach vacations” when promoting its tourism industry, a Department of Tourism official said at the recent unveiling of the department’s National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) at the Asian Institute of Management.

Tourism Undersecretary for Tourism Development Daniel G. Corpuz said that along with sun and beach tourism, the industry must promote other things the Philippines has to offer: nature tourism, cultural tourism, leisure and entertainment tourism, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing, exhibitions) and events tourism, health and wellness tourism, retirement tourism, cruise and nautical tourism, diving and marine sports tourism, and education tourism.

The department has set a target of 10 million international visitors to the Philippines and 56 million domestic travelers by 2016.

Corpuz said that increasing the tourist volume to the country can be achieved by developing and marketing competitive tourist products and destinations; improving market access, connectivity, and destination infrastructure; and improving institutional governance and human resources—which will need the cooperation and help of other government agencies.

“Tourism is a major instrument to contribute to national development, and the National Tourism Development Plan must be synchronized with the Philippine Development Plan,” he said.

The department’s international visitor target for this year is 5.5 million, considerably more than the 4.3 million international tourist arrivals recorded last year. The top sources of international travelers to the Philippines have been South Korea, the US, Japan, and China.

The volume of domestic travelers, which was 40.7 million in 2012, is expected to increase to 44.1 million in 2013.

Tourism Assistant Secretary Roland Cañizal stressed the point that greater integration among government agencies would boost tourism development in the Philippines, such as the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) providing access roads to tourist destinations; the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) upgrading major airports; and local governments’ boosting their tourism destinations.

“This is the kind of thinking that we want to cascade to all the local government units—that if they are serious about being a part of the National Tourism Development Plan, their seriousness is translated in terms of their commitment to develop their areas and to put the necessary resources to make sure that the plan is being implemented,” he said. — BM, GMA News

source: http://www.gmanetwork.com / GMA News Online / Home> Lifestyle> Travel / June 16th, 2013

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Posted in Associations/Organisations/Government/NonGovernment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics