London, 16 November 2012:
Leading research firm, Research and Markets, released its latest report on medical tourism, Thursday, that covers the Middle East and the outlook for this business segment up to 2016.
The report can be purchased at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/htgtbl/middle_east)
Identified as the “Middle East Medical Tourism Industry Outlook to 2016 – Advanced Medical Infrastructure Paving the Way for Future Growth” provides an analysis of the medical tourism industry in Middle East countries in terms of medical tourist arrivals and revenue generated by medical tourist.
The research firm presented snippets of the report’s findings that give insights about the competitive nature of medical tourism in the Middle East. The developments could seriously challenge hospitals in Southeast Asia that are sourcing a lucrative medical tourism business from this region.
It shows that Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Iran attract the most medical tourists from within the Middle East region.
It also indicates that the UAE is trying to establish itself as a destination for medical tourism on an international scale
Jordan is the market leader in terms of medical tourist arrivals and medical tourism revenue in 2011 based mainly on its low-cost treatments. The easing of visa in some countries such as UAE and Jordan has attracted medical tourists within the region. The rise in private hospitals in the region is also another factor in the growth of this segment.
Environmental factors such as political instability, civil wars and anti-west feelings within the region are the main negative factors that could curtail growth the report suggest. However, the outlook is positive with a projected 753,500 medical tourists who will generate revenue of US$2 billion by 2016.
Jordan is viewed as the leader in medical tourism serving visitors mainly from Iraq, Syria, Yemen. The country has 10 hospitals with JCI certification.
Turkey is positioned as the second largest country in terms of the medical tourist arrivals and also the second largest in terms of revenue generated through medical tourism growing at 6.8% per annum during the period 2006 to 2011.
Iran set up its first health tourism office in 2010. The health tourism office, in association with medical universities in Iran, is expected to boost the medical tourism industry in the country in the coming years.
Israel has positioned itself as a pioneer in the IVF treatments, cancer treatments and nuclear medicine. With rising number of medical tourists an upsurge in the number of government and private hospitals has been witnessed. There were more than 190 government hospitals in the country in 2010 with major hospitals located in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Herzliya. Its medical tourism revenue is expected to grow at 5.7% for the years 2012 to 2016.
UAE, Yemen, Kuwait and Syria are the main markets for hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of health of Saudi Arabia had proposed several plans to build a supervisory authority to control private healthcare facilities thereby promoting medical tourism through these initiatives.
The UAE is promoting medical tourism through the creation of the Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC). The country has the highest number of JCI certified hospitals in the region. In the coming years UAE is expected to play a significant role in the medical tourism industry in the Middle East the report states.
source: http://www.ttrweekly.com / Home> Middle East, News / by TTR Staff / November 16th, 2012
