Category Archives: Reports,Features, Statistics

Boosting M’sia’s medical tourism segment

Posted on January 21, 2013 | Comments Off on Boosting M’sia’s medical tourism segment

Kuching :

Malaysia is increasingly becoming a major destination for foreigners seeking medical treatment over the past five years, with efforts under way to diversify source markets.

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, the first five months of 2012 saw some 236,836 of foreign patients travelling into the country for medical care, spending RM200.4 million in total.

Based on these preliminary figures, the sector was expected to attract over 600,000 foreign patients and generate more than RM600 million in revenues by the end of 2012, Oxford Business Group (OBG) stated in its latest Malaysia Report.

In comparison to the region, Malaysia’s favourable exchange rate and the cost of healthcare services is at an extensively lower cost than that of other countries.

Some surgeries, in particular, are cheaper by half as compared with Singapore or Indonesia.

OBG, however, pointed out that spending by medical tourists was significantly higher than that of other types of visitors in general, medical tourists spent around four times more than their leisure counterparts.

“The medical tourism segment is almost entirely served by private sector health care providers.

“In 2011, facilities in Penang attracted around 49 per cent of total foreign medical revenues, while institutions in KL and the greater Klang Valley attracted 21 per cent of total spending and those in Melaka took in about 10 per cent,” it highlighted.

The government is currently working to boost private sector participation in the industry, with the goal of expanding health care options for Malaysians and attracting a large share of the medical tourism market.

“Incentives aimed at encouraging private participation in the sector include tax exemption for firms that build new hospitals or expand existing hospitals with the goal of attracting more medical tourists, and other tax incentives for companies that obtain accreditations,” it explained.

As of mid-2012, Malaysia was home to eight hospitals with JCI accreditation, including Gleneagles Hospital, the National Heart Institute, the Penang Adventist Hospital and the Sime Darby Medical Centre Subang Jaya.

Additionally, 85 hospitals – 32 of which are private facilities – hold accreditations from the Malaysian Society for Quality in Health.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Health Indonesia had announced a plan in early 2012 to boost accessibility to health care for nationals in an effort to encourage Indonesians to stop travelling abroad for care.

“If this plan comes to fruition, Malaysia could possibily see a decline in its medical tourists from Indonesia, with this likely to have a significant effect on revenue figures.

“With this in mind, Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council is currently working to promote the segment in nearby countries such as Singapore and Japan as well as further afield in burgeoning health care markets including China, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and a handful of nations in the Middle East,” it concluded.

source: http://www.TheBorneoPost.com / Home> Business> / by Justin Yap – justinyap@theborneopost.com / Friday, January 18th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Healthy hotels, rise in ancient therapies expected in 2013

Posted on January 17, 2013 | Comments Off on Healthy hotels, rise in ancient therapies expected in 2013

New York:

Healthy hotels, wellness tourism and the holistic medicine system Ayurveda are expected to be the among the top spa trends in 2013, according to a report that tracks the $73 billion global industry.

Gyms, pools and spas are standard at many hotels, but international chains and boutique inns will be enhancing offerings by adding customized services like jogging routes, in-room workouts, sleep programs, and gluten-free and vegan menus.

“Hotels are realizing that as people travel they want to stay healthy,” Susie Ellis, president of SpaFinder Wellness Inc, which compiles the annual forecast report, told journalists.

The InterContinental Hotels Group plans to open a wellness-focused brand hotel called EVEN in New York next year, with 100 more to follow within five years.

“It will be all about health and wellness,” Ellis said of the brand, which will revolve around fitness and include innovative touches such as coat racks that morph into pull-up bars.

Other U.S. hotel chains such as Westin are featuring guided jogs with running concierges and menus stocked with superfoods, according to the report, while Las Vegas’ MGM Grand has designed “Stay Well” rooms with vitamin C-infused showers, wake-up light therapy and air purification and aromatherapy.

Jeremy McCarthy, the director of spa operations for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, said all of his hotels provide jogging routes and are starting to lend running gear to guests.

The SpaFinder Wellness report, which was compiled by about 100 researchers who tracked trends, shows how the industry, which includes as many as 87,000 spas around the world, has shifted from beauty and pampering to health and wellness.

Along with healthy hotels, it predicts an increased demand for authentic Ayurveda, the 3,500 year-old Indian holistic system of medicine, and other ancient treatments.

“Look for more authentic Roman and Turkish baths, Russian banyas (steam rooms ), traditional Chinese medicine and Nordic offerings,” it said.

Traveling abroad

Ellis predicted a surge of people traveling abroad to stay healthy. The report cited India, which has seen a 22 percent annual growth in wellness tourism, as a prime example.

“Traveling for prevention and improving health is going to be huge,” she said.

More men have been going to spas for several years, and that is expected to continue in 2013. In addition to massages, more men are seeking a manicure and pedicure, facials, fillers and so-called “Brotox.”

The trend is fueled by aging baby boomers wanting to hold on to their looks and younger men who are comfortable with the concept of male beauty.

“It’s not just more culturally acceptable for men to spend on looking good, it’s becoming perceived as a necessity,” the report said.

In the United States, research by global company Mintel shows men represent about one in 10 cosmetic-procedure patients, while the number of males seeking cosmetic surgery in Germany has more than doubled in the past five years.

“Even territory once heavily reserved for women, like bikini waxing, is now being invaded by males …” the report said. — Reuters

source: http://www.gmanetwork.com / Home> Lifesytle> Wellness / by Patricia Reaney, Reuters / January 17th, 2013

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Posted in Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Others, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas, Wellness Tourism

Health tourism firms hopeful of Russia, US

Posted on January 16, 2013 | Comments Off on Health tourism firms hopeful of Russia, US

Problems in the health sectors of large countries such as the U.S. and  Russia may offer the Turkish health tourism industry an increased place in the market, according to sector representatives.

Worldwide health sector representatives were gathered at the Istanbul Health Expo Fair, at which Turkey’s opportunities to rise as a health tourism attraction were discussed.

Many people from the U.S and Russia  have been seeking treatment abroad but Turkey is not on their agenda as much as it could be, according to Filiz Çevirmen, the chairman of the Istanbul Health Tourism Association.

She said Turkey should explain its progress in the health sector by promoting it abroad to increase its market share in the $100 billion sector.

Azita Motoghaddam, chairman of an American  health market consultancy business, also emphasized Turkey’s potential, adding that there was a large deficiency of doctors in the U.S., given the aging population. “In the U.S., an average of 1.6 million people go abroad for treatment every year, spending a total of $19.2 billion. Countries like India  and Thailand are popular destinations, but Turkey has a better infrastructure than these countries,” she said. Lena Kargapoz Tseva, a  Russian  health specialist, complained about the falling health budget in Russia  and said that Russian  citizens were increasingly swerving to alternative countries such as Israel  and Germany.

source: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com / Home> Sub category – Home Page / Istanbul – Anatolian News Agency / January 14th, 2013

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Posted in Health /Medical Treatment For Overseas Treatment, Medical Tourism/Health Tourism, Reports,Features, Statistics, Travelling For Surgery Abroad / Medical Surgery Overseas

Norman: Medical tourism becomes more viable as standards improve

Posted on January 12, 2013 | Comments Off on Norman: Medical tourism becomes more viable as standards improve

The word tourism may conjure up visions of visiting romantic foreign cities, lounging on warm beaches and enjoying a relaxing vacation.

What’s not normally in the picture is joint replacement surgery, dental work or a cardiac bypass. But those types of activities are exactly what a specific traveler — the medical tourist — is after.

As health care becomes more expensive in the United States and as the ranks of the uninsured grow, Americans without insurance are looking for more cost-effective ways to get medical care. Companies have sprouted up to act as medical travel agents, hooking you up with physicians and hospitals in other countries in order to get a specific medical procedure.

As an added bonus, you can throw a brief vacation in for the recovery. If you were paying out of pocket for the procedure anyway, you could probably do it all more cheaply than at home.

This may sound risky to some, but many foreign facilities and physicians rival the U.S. for quality and safety. More than a few of us have already made a habit of taking trips to Mexico for dental and cosmetic procedures not covered by insurance, and insurance companies are taking note.

They’re starting to realize that the cost of encouraging medical tourism for their subscribers may be less than paying for procedures here. Self-insured businesses also offer this to employees, with one supermarket chain previously paying for an employee and companion to travel to Singapore for a joint replacement.

Insurers are looking at the costly services they cover and realize that if they can save $5,000 on a procedure with better outcomes and fewer complications, then it makes sense to pay for a plane trip and a short hotel stay in order to use that facility.

So where will this head?

Obviously, it makes sense if there is a price differential for the service. But as in the case of organ transplants, it also makes sense if the outcomes at a preferred location are so good that there are fewer costly complications over time, making upfront costs the same but ongoing costs less. It encourages facilities providing these services to be top-notch and prove it with data, ultimately making the entire system more transparent.

This will trickle down to even lower-cost services as facilities in one state compete with those in others and will improve cost containment and patient outcomes — things which benefit us all.

So how about seeing scenic New Zealand and getting a new hip on the side? It’s more of a reality than you think.

Dr. Ted Norman is an internist with Banner Medical Group and can be reached at edward.

norman@bannerhealth.com.

source: http://www.coloradoan.com /Home> Business / by Ted Norman, On Health Care / January 09th, 2013

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

Wellness Tourism Worldwide Announces Top 10 Wellness Travel Trends for 2013

Posted on January 10, 2013 | Comments Off on Wellness Tourism Worldwide Announces Top 10 Wellness Travel Trends for 2013

Wellness Tourism Worldwide announces its 2013 forecast of wellness travel trends. Each trend bears relevance to today’s consumer, focusing upon new wellness designs, programs and service levels in air transit, hotel accommodations and destinations.

Wellness Tourism Worldwide announces its 2013 forecast of wellness travel trends. Each trend bears relevance to today’s consumer, focusing upon new wellness designs, programs and service levels in air transit, hotel accommodations and destinations.

Camille Hoheb, wellness travel industry expert and founder of Wellness Tourism Worldwide noted, “Health opens the door to a whole new world.” She added, “We’re looking at wellness domains that contribute to better traveler experiences.  We think this forecast will encourage individuals and industries to expand their perceptions on wellness and improve quality of life.”

The forecast is based on an analysis of factors including consumer and B2B surveys, site visits, feedback from travel suppliers, destinations and sellers as well as extensive research, all of which have been consolidated to bring practical knowledge to both individuals and businesses.

Snapshot: Top 10 Wellness Travel Trends for 2013 (descriptions below)

·      Wellness Takes Flight

·      Health-Focused Hotels

·      Digital Detox

·      Reconnecting through Nature

·      Sleep at the Forefront

·      Spiritual Seekers

·      Indigenous Healing Experiences

·      Rewarding with Wellness Travel

·      Celebrity Instructor Retreats

·      Intergenerational Family Holiday

Wellness Takes Flight

To draw more passengers and increase revenue, airports renovations are featuring sleek ultramodern designs incorporating natural light, art installations, high-end dining and shopping venues as well as a plethora of health and fitness offerings. A wide range of offerings from the ubiquitous spa to swimming pools, gardens, walking paths, private napping cabins and cultural centers are all designed to create a kind an atmosphere of “terminal bliss”.

Health Focused Hotels

Hotels have realized there’s an unmet need for guests to maintain health during travel that goes beyond gyms, pools and spas. Now hotel rooms are designed to alleviate altitude sickness, reduce jet lag, induce better sleep, eliminate bacteria, waterborne chemicals and allergens and purify and humidify the air. Vitamin C-infused showers, dawn simulating alarm clocks and melatonin-producing lighting are other notable features. Guest can access in-room fitness equipment and healthy lifestyle education as well as take-home tips, programs and wellness apps.

Digital Detox
The World Travel Market Global Trends Report listed digital detox as one of the next big trends to hit the hospitality industry in 2013. A survey showed that 80% of smartphone users in the US almost never leave their home without their device. Surrendering laptops, tablets and smartphones at check-in are a part of several hotel “Un-plug” programs. Some destinations are also creating technology free vacation campaigns as a way to market their rustic settings.

Reconnecting Through Nature
Natural assets are the most critical component to wellness tourism product development. Destinations are beginning to fully leverage their landscape in response for the human need to explore and relax outdoors. “Deprivation holidays” – coined by Euromonitor  – is a growing trend where stressed out folks choose outdoor boot camp to improve fitness and induce weight loss by pushing to the extreme.

Sleep at the Forefront Too tired to function, unable to rest? Lack of sleep impacts immune, brain and metabolic systems. With spas, hotels, airplanes and airports, sleep has risen from the ignored to the significant.  Micro naps in urban spas create a respite from the frantic pace of cities. Private napping cabins offer respite for weary inter continental travelers.  Hotel designs have evolved to combat jet lag and to help both business and leisure travelers sleep well and prepare for the day ahead. Airlines are catching on, with redesigned planes for peaceful sleep providing well-appointed linens on a full size bed and turn down service in first class private cabins.

Spiritual Seekers
The interest in non-religious spiritual practices is growing around the world. An increasingly secular global society seeking meaning and purpose opens the doors to spiritual pilgrimages, retreats, temple stays and workshops. Asia, as the place of origin for mind/body lifestyles, practices and treatments is the home of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, various forms of meditation, yoga and other approaches to healing and wellness.  An economic powerhouse, Asia has the resources to continue building its tourism platform and exceed traveler expectations.

Indigenous Healing Traditions
As the world has become more globalized, many spa brands have gone the way of Starbucks  –predictable. Placing a spot light on authentic healing traditions is important on several levels. Exporting a region’s traditional healing practices gives consumers the opportunity to experience them first-hand at their place of origin. Travelers seeking health and healing traditions at their place of origin contributes to cultural conservation and sustainability, in some cases stimulating economic growth and breathing new life into long forgotten, ancient or undervalued rituals.

Rewarding Wellness Travel
In light of the economic downturn, companies seek peak performance and maximal efficiency.  Meeting planners are seeking destinations that align with corporate initiatives for maximum ROI. What better way than to coordinate transformative experiences for both the individual and business organization sponsoring the meeting?  Most U.S. companies plan to increase the dollar value of the incentives they offer employees to participate in health improvement programs in 2012, according to a recent employer survey.

Celebrity Instructor Retreats
Wellness travel has taken off as a way to jumpstart a new health regimen or to deepen one’s practice of a healthy lifestyle. Studies show that sometimes the most transformative experiences occur far away from home. Yoga, Pilates, meditation and fitness gurus have been elevated to rock stars with their own following and are taking their expertise on the road at exotic locations, regional weekend workshops.  Spa destinations and resorts have been offering specialized, themed getaways for awhile but now instructors have realized their own cache and are cashing in.

Intergenerational Family Travel
It seems everyone agrees that multi-generational family travel is a hot trend that has been growing the last few years including Virtuoso, VacationWired, TravelMole, American Express, U.S. Travel Association, ASTA and others. Grandparents are connecting with grandchildren in a distinct way — by traveling. Grandparents are more active and fit, and have sympathy for their own grown children, who often are required to have two working adults to pay the bills. Vacations create memories and are taking their family relations from cyberspace to real space. The travel industry has designed programs to bring families together to learn, love and play. What could be more “well”?

For a free download of the “Top 10 Wellness Travel Trends for 2013” go to www.wellnesstourismworldwide.com

source: http://www.prlog.org / Home> Latest News / January 09th, 2013

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Posted in Others, Reports,Features, Statistics, Wellness Tourism