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The Greater
Caribbean This Week: A Novel Tourism Concept |
By: Jasmin A. Garraway
the Sustainable Tourism Director of the Association of
Caribbean States.
August 17, 2007: WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, the potential for specific niche tourism experiences
such as health, wellness and spa tourism has not been fully explored in the
Greater Caribbean.
Medical tourism for example, which can be modelled around the provision of
either elective or necessary surgical procedures, provides patients with an
opportunity to undergo recommended medical procedures earlier and at a lower
cost than in their own countries.
Medical tourism has linkages to and benefits other industries and sectors
including insurance, real estate, advertising and telecommunications. Social
benefits include the upgrading of medical facilities and capacity building of
medical care providers. |
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The economic impacts of this type of tourism are demonstrated not only in
foreign exchange earnings through increases in the volume of tourists and the
average daily expenditure, but also in the extended average length of stay,
employment, and investments in health care facilities and ancillary
health-related services.
The trade off, depending on the level of demand and available resources, is that
medical tourism can contribute to the crowding out of nationals, and an exodus
of public health care workers into the private medical facilities, which offer
better salaries.
In Countries such as India, Singapore and Thailand, medical tourism has
experienced tremendous growth as a private industry, as these countries have
become known as low cost health care destinations.
In 2005, India hosted its first Medical Tourism Expo in London to promote the
industry throughout Europe. It is now estimated that by 2011, medical tourism
will contribute one billion dollars per annum to the country’s GDP, and in
Thailand and Singapore the industry is expected to generate between 2 and 3
billion US dollars by 2012.
Thailand’s strategic location has made it the medical tourism hub of Asia. As a
consequence of its expertise and advancements in medical research and
development, the country has earned itself international recognition in the
treatment of infectious diseases, bone related ailments, and cosmetic and
reconstructive surgery, to name a few.
Several exemplary strategies are employed by Thailand to sustain the growth of
its health and wellness tourism industry for example the Thai Spa Association
and the State are collaborating to develop specific quality standards as well as
legislation, certification and regulations for the Spa Industry.
Closer to home, Cuba is known as not only a destination for peace and safety but
also for health and well-being.
The medical tourism product in Cuba has evolved over the last four decades. In
2005, there were 70,594 doctors, 21 medical schools, 14,078 medical clinics, 470
polyclinics, 255 hospitals, 13 medical research institutions and 165 stomatology
clinics for the treatment of diseases of the mouth. The country currently
collaborates with more than 80,000 institutions in 97 countries in the field of
medicine.
Cuba’s medical tourism products and services are disseminated by Cubanacan
Tourism and Health, which provided care for a total of 19,670 tourist patients
in 2006. As stated by President Fidel Castro Ruz, Cubanacan is based on the
principle that “every person and every nation has the right to a healthy life
and to enjoy the privilege of a prolonged and useful existence,” and “Cubanacan
Tourism and Health places at the disposal of all interested persons anywhere in
the world, the advancements of the Cuban health system.”
A successful medical tourism industry depends in part on efficient systems for
information processing and for the pooling of equipment, patient assistance and
post surgery treatment services; and accreditation processes of both the
facilities and health professionals. Improved quantity and quality of
professionals; linkages with wellness centers, insurance companies and tourism
enterprises and ease of entry /exit procedures for patients and medical
professionals are other essentials.
Another integral component in developing medical tourism is intra and
inter-agency collaboration and co-ordination among ministries responsible for
health, telecommunications, tourism, and foreign affairs. The private tourism
sector, airlines etc. must develop and share a common vision and joint strategy
and develop integrated plans, for product development, marketing and promotion.
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