Thailand targets medical tourists

Thailand has moved to boost its health and wellness sector, by conducting a major international fam trip for medical tourism buyers.

Last week, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invited more than 30 medical tourism facilitators and travel agencies specialising from 10 countries to the country, for the second annual medical fam trip.

From 12-18 August 2013, the ‘Thailand Medical & Wellness Tourism Trade and Media Fam Trip’ took participants on a tour of the country’s medical tourism facilities and introduced them to local suppliers.

“Because we received a good response to last year’s event, we decided to repeat it this year for buyers from the US, Australia, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Oman. The most important new potential high-end market is from mainland China where there is great demand for high-end luxury health tour programmes,” explained TAT governor, Suraphon Svetasreni.

“The invited participants will have had a good chance to see the full range of our unique health and wellness facilities. Currently, 28 Thai hospitals are JCI-accredited, the highest number of this prestigious international standard in Asia. Furthermore, Thailand is widely recognised by various international institutes as the spa capital of Asia,” he added.

As well as touring facilities in Bangkok, Phuket and Hua Hin, the attendees were invited to meet 58 Thai medical tourism suppliers, including hospitals, clinics and spa operators, to discuss business opportunities.

“This trade event will have been an excellent opportunity for Thai health and wellness providers to meet buyers from new markets. It will have also emphasised on Thailand’s reputation as “The world leader in medical and wellness tourism,” Suraphon added.

The Thai health and wellness tourism sector is expected to be worth THB2 trillion (US$64 billion) by 2014, combining both domestic and international revenues.