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Have
a memorable holiday on the backwaters of Kerala. Re-juvenate
yourself with the goodness of yoga and ayurveda. While in
India you can have an annual medical checkup done. You can
also get yourself treated at an international Indian hospital.
One may come across such lines, promoting holiday destinations
along with the promise of health, while browsing through websites
or flipping through the pages of a magazine.
Welcome
to the unexplored world of Health Tourism! Also known as Medical
Tourism, it is the latest marketing mantra to promote India
as a tourist destination. The Government of India, Ministry
of Tourism, various state tourism boards, private sector hotels,
travel agents and tour operators are eyeing the health and
medical tourism market as a segment that will offer tremendous
growth in the future. According to a study conducted by the
Confederation of Indian Industry and McKinsey, India could
earn revenues to the tune of $1 bn through medical tourism,
by the year 2012.
The
medical tourism concept combines the traditional form of vacationing
along with a wide array of medical services. Adventure, relaxation,
enjoyment along with healthcare and wellness is the focus
of this concept.
Medical
tourism can be broadly defined as: "Provision of cost-effective
private medical care in collaboration with the tourism industry
for patients needing surgical and other forms of specialized
treatment."1 The corporate sector involved
in medical care as well as the tourism industry form the backbone
of health tourism. |
