Mid East can capitalise on lucrative global medical tourism market

To achieve a global reputation of medical excellence and affordability, Jonathan Edelheit, President of the Medical Tourism Association, believes the region must continue to foster an environment that is increasingly favourable for the healthcare sector's private operators.

"It is important for Middle East governments to continue creating an increased role for the private healthcare sector as it has the skill set and resources to help build more hospitals, implement high levels of quality care and establish infrastructure much faster than the public sector. This is a key factor is establishing the region as a sought after destination for medical tourists," said Edelheit.

According to Edelheit - who is part of the seminar speaker line-up for Reed Travel Exhibitions' Arabian Travel Market 2008, the Middle East's premier travel and tourism event - the global medical tourism industry could grow up to ten fold over the next two years, representing a dynamic business opportunity for the Middle East.

With regional governments actively increasing their efforts to woo high-end medical providers, such as Abu Dhabi's association with the Cleveland Clinic and John Hopkins Medicine and Dubai aligning with Harvard Medical International, Edelheit believes the region is making important strides in raising its medical operating standards to international levels.

"Medical tourism is growing exponentially every year especially with more and more patients travelling overseas for urgent and cosmetic care. I believe the key issues going forward will be whether the Middle East can market itself successfully to an international audience and, as a result, build a "brand" reputation for premium, affordable healthcare,"

said Edelheit.

"There is a growing trend of blue chip medical companies setting up regional operations. These partnerships are very important and help new hospitals and healthcare entities put the right processes in place prior to building the hospital, which helps ensure the highest quality of care possible and attracts overseas consultations."

Another issue facing the Middle East is the current outbound flow of medical tourism to other countries in the West and Asia, which results in a large loss of locally generated revenue for hospitals.

This outbound flow is clearly illustrated in a recent statement, outlining how approximately 62,000 UAE nationals alone sought medical treatment in Thai hospitals in the first seven months of 2006.

However, Edelheit predicts that as more high quality facilities are established regionally and a greater number of healthcare professionals are brought in, the Middle East should invariably turn the tide of medical tourism inwards.

"More hospital facilities, developing new hospitals with the highest quality of care and importing expert doctors and surgeons are critical to the region retaining residents' for medical procedures and consultations. It is important to show them they will get a higher level of care locally than if they leave the country," added Edelheit.

The latest speaker for Arabian Travel Market 2008, which takes place at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre (DIECC) on May 6-9, Edelheit will give a detailed industry overview to delegates from across the globe in his seminar - 'Introduction to Medical Tourism - Medical Tourism and the emerging industry of global healthcare'.

Covering a wide-diversity of key industry trends and issues, Arabian Travel Market 2008's seminar programme is the largest to date with 14 sessions planned over the four day event.

Attracting many of the industry's heavyweights, the seminars, which will be staged on the show floor for the first time, will cover critical human resource issues in the region, ground-breaking medical tourism initiatives, recruitment and retention strategies in the Middle East's hotel industry, the future of travel agents and the development of online travel bookings and the role of the internet and new web marketing techniques as the industry evolves.

"Medical tourism is a hot topic for the global travel and tourism industry and we felt it was one issue that needed to be addressed in detail at the show. For Arabian Travel Market, we have strived to bring together many of the world-wide industry's top speakers to discuss and debate key trends and developments affecting an increasing global populace," said Simon Press, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market.

"We are going to great lengths to develop Arabian Travel Market as a critical information and knowledge platform, which transcends the normal criterion expected of an exhibition. We want exhibitors and visitors alike to stay ahead of the curve; a key requisite of doing business in one of the fastest evolving business sectors worldwide."

Arabian Travel Market is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and under the auspices of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Government of Dubai.