Abstract
Opportunities and challenges in medical tourism: The case of Thailand
Program and Abstrcts for the ANZALS 10th Biennial Conference, p.67
Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) Biennial Conference, 10th (Dunedin, New Zealand, 06-Dec-2011–08-Dec-2011)
2011
Abstract
Medical Tourism is the practice of travelling across borders to obtain healthcare services in another country where medical expenses are comparatively lower and the services sought are comparable to or better than those available in one's own country. The Thai government commenced strategic plans in 2004 to promote Thailand as a prime medical tourism destination. Since then, the country has enjoyed a great number of visitors in this category. The Department of Export Promotion and the Department of Health Service Support reported a rapid growth of 20.86% during 2004-2009 for health service delivery to foreigners. Thailand as an ideal Tourist Destination Thailand is one of the main tourist destinations in the world and certainly the leading in Asia. In 2010, 15.84 million international guests visited Thailand, (a 26.45% increase over 2004). The purpose of this project is to determine whether Thailand medical tourism, an emerging form of medical outsourcing, is worth promoting in Australia, and in what form. The reasons behind medical tourism in Australia are that the patients sometimes cannot wait for treatment in a public hospital through Medicare, and they cannot afford to see a private physician either. As a result some patients elect to follow medical tourism, combining medical treatment with exotic vacations. Consequently, the model from this project will provide a marketing strategy combining a medical treatment package promotion with an exotic holiday package from the patient's departure countries to a medical tourism destination.
Details
- Title
- Opportunities and challenges in medical tourism: The case of Thailand
- Authors
- Chawannuch Uthayan (Author) - University of QueenslandTimothy J Lee (Author) - University of QueenslandAaron Tkaczynski (Author) - University of Queensland
- Contributors
- Neil Carr (Editor)Diana Evans (Editor)
- Publication details
- Program and Abstrcts for the ANZALS 10th Biennial Conference, p.67
- Conference details
- Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) Biennial Conference, 10th (Dunedin, New Zealand, 06-Dec-2011–08-Dec-2011)
- Publisher
- Australia and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies
- Date published
- 2011
- ISBN
- 9780473203054
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Sustainability Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450971802621
- Output Type
- Abstract
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