Goa Positions Itself as the New Hub of Medical Tourism for Foreigners

Over 3 million foreigners are expected to travel to India for medical tourism by the end of this year, which would generate a revenue of more than $2 billion.

Beautiful beaches and the soothing climate is what comes the mind when we think of Goa. But, if the medical fraternity and the state government here have their way, Goa, may well pip big cities like Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai as an attractive medical tourism destination as well.

With a strong hospitality industry-oriented lineage and sound infrastructure in place, especially for a tier-II town, public and private players are aggressively positioning the state as a haven for medical procedures with a dash of fun and relaxation for domestic and foreign patients.

About Medical Tourism
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.

"We want to bring medical tourism to Goa because we believe that infrastructure here is good. We want to bring international patients here because they should not have to go to polluted and crowded cities," said, Ajay Bakshi, Chief Executive officer and Managing Director of Manipal Health Enterprises.

"Medical tourism is 50% about medical facilities. The other factors which make it work are the ease of getting a visa, honesty of the local population and the climate, among others. We are putting in place a coalition of partners to boost medical tourism, of which the hospitality industry is a major partner. They are already taking care of one factor, we will take care of the medical part," Bakshi said.

Medical tourism is an emerging concept in which people, especially from the West or from countries with a poor health infrastructure, travel overseas for cheaper and cost-effective healthcare, along with a vacation thrown in.

Medical Tourism � The Road Ahead
Medical Tourism has become a serious enterprise in India over the last two years. However some hospitals have been practicing it for quite a few years.

A recent study by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry reveals that over three million foreigners are expected to travel to India for medical tourism by the end of this year, even as healthcare experts have pegged the market in the country at over $2 billion.

Goa, which is already on the global tourism map with its half a million foreign tourist arrivals every year, is in the best position to tap in on this trend - a fact which has been acknowledged and endorsed by the Goa Investment Policy unveiled last year.

Medical Tourism Booms in Asia
The lines snaking into Bangladesh's overwhelmed hospitals are often so long, that they extend into the street outside -- too many patients seeking too few quality doctors.

"While medical tourism is growing in Goa, the government is keen to attract investments in new facilities and draw more medical tourists for high-end and complicated procedures. For medical tourism to take off in a big way, uniformity and quality of services offered are critical," the policy says, in addition to making several recommendations that could help take forward Goa’s pursuit of medical tourism.

Bakshi claimed that patients from Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Russia, Iraq, the CIS and the Middle East form the bulk of India’s medical tourism patients - and also pointed to domestic medical tourism as a newish trend.

'India Ranks Among Top 3 Medical Tourism Destinations in Asia'
A combined study by consultancy firm KPMG and industry body FICCI says, India ranks among the top three medical tourism destinations in Asia.

"A few years ago, the trend was that patients would travel from places with no medical facilities to places with medical facilities. For example, patients from Bihar would travel to Delhi, those from Kolkata would travel to Chennai or Bengaluru, for treatment," Bakshi said, adding that of late, high-spending patients wanted to travel to places which offer quality healthcare, as also a bit of relaxation.

"To go and get surgery done in Delhi can be quite stressful. Here in Goa, in its relaxed environment, it is different. This is a case of a higher-end customer who is by choice coming to a place known for good quality medical care and good infrastructure facilities, for which Goa is already very well known," Bakshi said.

Source-Medindia