The Feasibility of Developing Medical Tourism in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Huang,Yueh-Fen, 黃月芬
• Other Authors: Su,Wen–Yu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/02490218484592981222

碩士 === 中國文化大學 === 觀光事業研究所 === 94 === According to a 2005 report by leading market researcher Synovate, around 100,000 international travelers make medical tourism visits to Malaysia each year. An-other source estimates that about 1.3 million medical tourists visit Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Jordan and India annually, spending a combined US$1 billion on medical treatments during their stays. In each of these nations, medical travel spending is grow-ing at over 20% per year, underscoring the high growth potential of this market. In Taiwan, hospitals, clinics and travel agencies are currently integrating medical and tourism resources to attract medical tourists traveling for health and leisure reasons. Medical tourism is still a budding travel product in Taiwan, however the government sees in this market the potential to overcome the preponderance of single-visit only travel to Taiwan. This study is exploratory in nature and adopts a qualitative research approach. Qualitative data for the study was compiled through in-depth interviews covering the four topic areas of market analysis, technical analysis, financial analysis, and bene-fit-risk analysis. A framework was established to analyze and assess the data and pro-vide a basis for the study’s conclusions and proposals. This study found that medical tourism is an emerging and high-potential industry that integrates health, beauty and leisure travel. It further concludes that Taiwan is posi-tioned to tap into the rising medical tourism market and become an overseas medical center for international travelers. A successful strategy for developing in this market would involve the upgrading of the services, facilities, and management of the domestic travel industry, the integration of the tourism industry with domestic medical resources through cooperation among hospitals, clinics and travel agencies, the establishment of normal operations and risk management capability, and the development of medical tourism products unique to Taiwan.