Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-24-2010

Publication Title

International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research

Volume

2

Issue Number

1

First Page

38

Last Page

58

DOI

10.1504/IJBHR.2010.037079

Keywords

foreign travel, destination marketing, health tourists, hospitality industry, medical procedures, health benefits, journeys, travel industry, hoteliers, hotels, tourism operations, tour operators, travel firms, visitor bureaus, medical travellers, intrusive medical procedures, cosmetic surgery, life-threatening conditions, non-life-threatening conditions, diagnostic procedures, lifestyle, spa treatments, alternative therapies, healthcare facilities, medical talent, restaurants, accommodation, tourism infrastructures, governmental policies, legislation, laws, behavioural research, healthcare research, medical tourism

Disciplines

Hospitality Administration and Management | Marketing | Tourism | Tourism and Travel

Abstract

Like business travel, where the primary focus is on business and travel is the simply the conduit by which it is performed, medical tourism is a growing trend in which individuals journey to foreign countries primarily to secure specific medical procedures or health benefits. The medical tourist is a newly defined segment of the travel industry, and while still small in numbers, is growing rapidly. This paper seeks to identify research questions related to the hospitality elements that contribute to the medical tourism experience. The answers to these may aid hoteliers, tourism operations, and visitor bureaus better understand, service and market to the medical traveller. To facilitate the research, six broad categories of medical tourists are identified and four components by which each category may be evaluated are suggested. For each of the components that contribute to the medical travelers' experience, potential research areas are proposed to study this growing phenomenon from a hospitality and tourism perspective.

Comments

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article whose final and definitive form, the Version of Record, has been published in International Journal of Behavioural and Healthcare Research in Volume 2, Issue 1 and can be found at this link.

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