Medical Tourism Motivations: The Driving Force

Year 2019, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 77 - 86, 15.12.2019

Lakhvinder Singh

https://doi.org/10.31822/jomat.621874

Cited By: 9

Abstract

Medical
tourism industry has witnessed a tremendous growth in last few years especially
in developing countries such as India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Although, there has been an increase in medical tourism traffic, there is a continuous
need to evaluate travel motivations among medical tourists. This study highlights
the driving force in the field of medical tourism which motivates medical
tourists to travel overseas for treatment and wellbeing. The study adopts
pull-push framework and discovers that among major pull motivations are low
cost, less waiting time, extensive treatment range & quality care,
favorable socio-cultural factors, tourists’ attractions, technology and
personalized services. Major push forces noticed as affordability, adjournment,
unavailability of specific treatment, inferior health services, lack of
insurance coverage, privacy concerns and legal liability associated with
medical tourism. From the case study of National Capital Region (NCR) in India.
The main travel motivations among tourists to this region are quality &
range of services, zero waiting time, eye catching treatment cost, technical
advancement, large pool of health professionals, facilitation, tourist
attraction and language proficiency. The study recommended to develop products
and services and adopt appropriate marketing communications tools for the
growth of medical tourism.

Keywords

Medical tourism, motivation, pull, push

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