Thailand is the home of the original spa experience and a leading player in the field of health tourism. Pramoth Supyen, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Dubai office, spoke to Shalu Chandran
How would you define medical tourism in this day and age?
From just over 600,000 foreigners travelling to Thailand for medical treatment in 2002, an estimated 2 million are expected in 2009. This is a phenomenal number which makes medical tourism one of Thailand’s most important sources of foreign income.
Medical tourism is wide in scope and continually evolving. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s approach to medical tourism is not just purely surgical either, but also encompasses preventative treatments, wellness and wellbeing, both phsyical and mental. It’s a holistic approach that needs to be specialised and individualised for each individual. And it’s an approach that needs to provide patient care, services and information prior to the patient visiting Thailand and continue after they have left.
What does Thailand offer medical tourists that other destinations cannot?
There are many reasons why Thailand has become a world leading medical tourism destination, Some of the major reasons include value for money, quality care, the high quality of service and the variety of treatments.
In regards to actual treatments, the list of expertise in Thailand is long and includes such specialties as cosmetic surgery, dentistry, cardiac, orthopedic, various therapies and check-ups. Additionally, and most unique, is that Thailand’s best hospitals offer impeccable spa and wellness services.
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Which are Thailand’s key feeder markets for this form of tourism?
Along with Americans and Europeans the Middle East is one of the key feeders markets for Thailand, where the type of medical treatments sought is very varied. Many visit Thailand for serious medical care such as hip replacments, to more simple treatments such as plastic surgey and dental work.
Thailand is also big for the Middle East markets for people who wish to seek a higher level of wellness, such as de-tox, weight loss and de-stress treatments. Additionally rejuvenation and all day spa relaxation treatments are also extremely popular.
What is TAT doing to further promote its medical tourism offering and in turn boost numbers?
The Tourism Authority of Thailand produces a number of specialised medical tourism borchures in various languages. Additionally, separate brochures and various collaterals also dedicated to Wellness and Spa are available to consumers and travel trade professionals alike.
In order to remain as a world leader within the medical tourism market, the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently launched FlyFreeForHealth, which is the world’s first comprehensive business-to-customer and business-to-business medical concierge network which signifies a new trend in consolidating borderless healthcare globally.
Closer to the Middle East, the TAT Dubai office is constantly talking to and updating medical insurance companies, as well as corporates, to promote Thailand as a medical tourism destination. Providing them with valuable information and updates that can then be handed on to their clients.
Such information transfer also includes familiarisation trips, to experience and witness these institutions first hand. Such trips will also be extended to major Middle East hospitals in order to facilitate cooperation between hospitals in Thailand and the Middle East. Furthermore, such familiarisation trips are also regularly conducted for both media and travel agents specialising in this type of tourism.