STEP analysis and health tourism development in Malaysia - Theory and Practice in Hospitality and Tourism Research - page 266

allow the formation of both public and private
healthcare sector to operate simultaneously (Barr-
aclough, 1999; Kananatu, 2002). To further widen
the profit sources of private hospital, the notion of
medical tourism has started to boom to cater the
rich and wealthy potential patients from abroad.
The phenomenon is believed to start during late
1990s in which the recession was at it peaks. The
recession has then forced the private hospitals to
find another sources of income as the local patient
shift their demand to the public hospitals. As a
result, the private hospitals have changed their tar-
get customers to the wealthy tourist from the neigh-
boring countries in Asia region (Leng, 2007; Yeoh,
Othman & Ahmad, 2013). The problem occurred
in the patient's home countries such as waiting
time, uninsured patient, availability of medical
procedures could be the factors for the potential
hospitals or entrepreneur to create a business in the
medical tourism industry (Yeoh et al., 2013). With
all these strengths, it will be a waste of opportunity
if the medical tourism area is left uncultivated. For
comparison, Malaysia has been left behind from
the level of achievement the neighboring countries
have enjoyed from medical tourism activity. Many
countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Hungary,
India and Korea managed to gain beneficial return
from this wellness industry (Chinai & Goswami,
2007; Kiss, 2012; Leng, 2010). Therefore, it is vital
for the government to strategize and realign our
healthcare plan to gain fruitful vintage from this
opportunity.
There are several factors that suggest the need
for Malaysia to equip aggressively of medical tour-
ism activity in healthcare industry. A good return
of income from medical tourism industry for
both government and the hospitals, advancement
of medical technology and retention of medical
professionals are among the reason why the effort
to promote medical tourism should be empha-
sized. The STEP analysis proposed by this study
is expected to conceal the holes of health tourism
industry thus equip the betterment for areas of
improvement in the future.

industry players to boost this activity to its ulti-
matum. Policies related to the medical regulations
need to be introduced, more promotion activities
need to be undertaken to attract potential visitors
to the health tourism activities. Apart from that,
government support in term of tax exemption for
high technology medical equipment should be
given to furnish the available facilities and indi-
rectly provide sort of niche or advantages to our
healthcare providers in the eye of potential health
tourism patient. These recommendations are
important as to allow us to expand our grasp to
the healthcare industry in Malaysia as well as to be
the best leading healthcare providers in Asia.

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3.2 Conclusion
Health tourism industry is a promising area that
needs more attention by the policy makers. The
ability to provide return to the government in the
form of tax yielded from the health tourism activ-
ity as well as to flourish the business activities is
eminent. However, with the recent development,
Malaysia is seen as in slow pace of developing the
industry like the neighboring countries such Thai-
land and Singapore in becoming a leading nation
in health tourism. More efforts need to be done by
the relevant authorities, interest groups and the