Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
for medical tourism
A. Aziz, R. Md-Yusof, N.T. Abu-Bakar, S.N.H. Taib & M. Ayob
Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka, Malaysia
ABSTRACT: This paper aims to explore how the image of destination could allure the medical tour-
ists in choosing Malaysia as their chosen destination. This conceptual paper offers an in-depth literature
review regarding destination image and behavioral intention of the potential tourists and medical tourists.
These tourists and medical tourists from many countries will be tapped in order to get information and to
test the hypotheses. Understanding the relationships between behavioral intention and destination image,
the destination country would have a better idea how to build up and attractive image and improve their
marketing efforts in attracting as many medical tourists as possible. This study is perhaps will contribute
to an understanding what factors that will influence the intentions of medical tourists through investiga-
tion by targeting the customers' perception and satisfaction.
Keywords
:
Perceived, destination image, behavioral intention
1 INTRODUCTION
Germany, and 36 percent form United Kingdom
has expressed their frustrations with long waiting
list of medical treatment in their countries (“2011
Survey of Health Care Consumers Global Report
Key Findings, Strategic Implications,” 2011).
Nowadays, medical travel has been a popular
scenario since many people realize the significant of
travelling and benefits that they are getting. Malay-
sia has been known as one of Southeast Asia's top-
most travel destinations, providing many interesting
place for recuperation, attractive place for shopping
and wonders place of natural habitat. Healthcare
expenditure in Malaysia is determined by augmented
privatization within the healthcare service provision.
Moreover it was found that the (The Malaysian
Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB, 2009) has been
supporting the healthcare services. Malaysia has
been considered as heaven for healthcare facilities
and hospitals. In fact, Malaysia has been receiving
approximately around 75 percent of medical tourists
from the ASEAN region, Europe and Japan at 3 per-
cent each, India 2 percent and others at 17 percent
in 2008 (Wood, 2009). Since the Malaysian govern-
ment has a significant budget in these activities, this
research will be very helpful because it can justify the
promotional activities such as creating value, suitable
strategies to improve the medical tourism promotion.
Furthermore, Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak has announced in the Malaysian
budget 2012, saying that The Malaysian Healthcare
Travel Council will be privatized to promote and
develop Malaysia as a health care destination.
The growth of medical tourism manage to attract
many countries to venture in this field and at the
same time compete for new customers and main-
taining existing customers. Malaysia is one of the
top five destinations and it's targeting patients is
from developed and less developed countries in the
medical tourism sector by providing good facilities
and competitive rates compared to other parts of
the world. How do we ensure that Malaysia will be
the leading choices of destination? International
accreditation alone is not good enough to attract
the foreigner; marketing do play an important role
in the maintenance of sustainable competitiveness.
In this new era of globalization, it is important
to understand the attitudes and behaviors of the
medical tourists in order to support the govern-
ment agencies and stakeholders to facilitate and
formulate appropriate tourism policies.
Research reported that international demand
for medical interventions from developed countries
has grown dramatically due to lower cost health
care services which is provided in the respective
countries(Crooks, Kingsbury, Snyder & Johnston,
2010). For example around 750,000 Americans
travel to the developing countries in the year 2007
(Connel, 2006). Other reasons are lack of medical
insurance or underinsured, long waiting list and
low exchange rates (Andaleeb, 2001; Opperman,
1999). For example in the year of 2011, 52 percent
of health care consumers in France, 45 percent from
Search WWH ::
Custom Search