The Impact Of Covid-19 And The Way Ahead For Kerala In Medical Value Tourism

Abstract

Medical tourism is a rapidly expanding industry with a market value of more than USD 4.0 billion. Covid-19 had a negative impact on the tourism industry, particularly medical tourism. With the economy returning to normal, the sector is reviving at an even faster rate. India is in a unique position because of its diverse culture, demography, and traditional techniques. India has carved out a prominent position in low-cost medical tourism, catering to patients who cannot afford to wait in long lines for state-of-the-art medical care. medical care. India has carved out a prominent position in low-cost medical tourism, catering to patients who cannot afford to wait in long lines for state-of-the-art medical care. The quantum of human resources, technological development, and active government intervention, create colossal possibilities to harness this sector. Kerala among other states uses a unique combination of modern and traditional medicine. Foreign-trained medical staff and numerous leisure spots help the state carve out a niche in this highly competitive segment. This paper discusses the boost that medical value tourism could grant Kerala and why this sector could be a significant revenue generator. Based on published data, the study discusses factors that make Kerala a hub for medical tourism, and trends and inflow of medical tourists. The number of tourists arriving for medical reasons accounted for 182,945 of the total number of foreign tourist arrivals. Despite a 75-80% drop in Foreign Tourist Arrivals during the first two years of the pandemic (2019-2021), Kerala hospitals are making a comeback. Kerala's path to recovery is being paved with new marketing strategies and innovation to attract more tourists. The article also discusses the concept and potential of Tourism 4.0, specifically AI-powered telemedicine. The article's conclusion demonstrates the impressive rate at which the sector is making a comeback and its positive impact on developing economies.

Keywords

• Medical Value Tourism
• Covid-19 Pandemic
• Foreign Patient Arrivals
• Telemedicine
• Tourism 4.0
• Telehealth

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