Travel Agent - August 18, 2008 - (Page 61)

Americans are living longer than ever before, but at the same time they’re facing challenges presented by out-of-control medical costs and inadequate health insurance. Increasing numbers of U.S. citizens are traveling abroad to avail themselves of Asian and Latin American hospitals and medical centers, for treatments that range from something as simple as getting your teeth whitened, to procedures as major as hip replacement surgery. This relatively new market is here to stay, and can be profitable for agents, similar to booking honeymoons or dream trips of a lifetime. Honeymooners and dreamers want every detail to be perfect, and reaching out to travel agents is all part of the plan. Similarly, if a person is planning to go to a foreign country for medical treatment, the expertise of a knowledgeable travel agent can make or break their decision to go. According to the most recent census data, 47 million Americans have no health insurance, and 120 million are underinsured. The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based healthcare research organization, recently issued a report saying nearly half the working-age population of the United States risks being financially devastated if confronted with the need to pay for major surgery, either because they have no insurance or inadequate insurance. dramatically lower than those typically charged at hospitals in the U.S. There is increasing interest for U.S. healthcare insurance providers to evaluate lower-cost options overseas as alternative healthcare services. It is estimated that $200 billion of U.S. healthcare can be exported. “Thailand offers tremendous value for money spent, and the facilities and doctors are some of the best in the world,” says Santi Chudintra, director Western USA, Central and South America, Tourism Authority of Thailand. Chudintra advises patients to be sure to allow sufficient recovery time based on the severity of the procedure being done before planning to continue on vacation or fly back home. “Travel agents are the facilitators for getting medical work done, [but] they are not involved with medical decisions or procedures,” says The National University Dental Hospital in Seoul, Korea Medical Destinations Some of the major players in this niche in Asia are India, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, while destinations in Latin America that are attracting a major share of the market include Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico and Panama. The India Tourist Board reports that approximately 500,000 medical tourists go to Asia annually. Of this number, India receives 200,000. Medical tourism to India has been growing at 30 percent a year for the past three years, and experts estimate that by 2012, medical tourism will be a $1 billion industry in India. Presently, the lion’s share of medical tourists traveling to India come from the Middle East, although the U.S. accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the total. It’s clear that it’s a cost-driven decision for many patients. For example, heart surgery can cost $60,000 in the U.S., but might cost $8,000 in India. When you add travel for two, and perhaps a recuperative or holiday stay, you’re still paying a fraction of what the cost would be in the U.S. According to the Singapore Tourism Board, the number of international patients traveling to Singapore for medical care is increasing by about 20 percent each year. Based on exit surveys conducted of international visitors to Singapore in 2006, 410,000 visitors traveled to Singapore specifically for healthcare. Blue Cross Blue Shield recently inked a deal with Singaporean company Parkway Health, which owns three first-class hospitals in Singapore. Through this deal, American patients will have access to pre-negotiated, in-network rates that are Chudintra. “For more serious operations, there should be a doctor here in the U.S. that will work as [a] liaison with the Thai doctors.” “The medical field in Korea is highly advanced and is considered on-par with leading medical facilities in the U.S.,” says Jennifer Goger, marketing coordinator, Korean Tourism Organization–Los Angeles. Goger recommends that agents take fam trips to medical facilities so they can acquire firsthand experience with the facility. “The Korean Tourism Organization is currently working with travel agents and tour operators to promote groups of medical tourists within the Korean community with hopes of expanding these efforts,” she says. Recently, a group of medical tourists traveled to Inha University Hospital and CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 August 18, 2008 TravelAgent | 61

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Travel Agent - April 18, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor Pacific/Asia: Visitors to Ubud will Discover the Essence of Balinese Art and Culture Special Supplement: Malaysia Travel Planner New Zealand: There is Plenty to See and Do Throughout the West Coast of the Southern Alps Europe: Beauty, History and Culture Combine in Valencia, Spain Caribbean: Scrub Island is the BVI’s First Development in 15 years The Wyndham Rio Mar’s $40 Million Makeover is Well Underway in Puerto Rico The Latest on Grenada, a Caribbean Up-and-Comer Mexico: Big Hotel Plans are in the Works for the Riviera Nayarit Florida: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel turns Orlando into Italy Las Vegas: Dinner at these Restaurants Can Get your Clients into Vegas’ Hottest Nightclubs Cover Story: Medical Tourism Special Supplement: Destination Weddings Specialist 3.0 Hotels: Everything Old is New Again at New York’s Algonquin Cruise: Short Cruises Keep your Clients on the Move for Less Group Travel: Disney makes Exotic Locales Friendly for Family Travel Car Rentals: How Much Insurance Does your Client Need for a Rental Car? Agency Profile: Corporate Travel Sales are Rising at MTravel.com, a Division of Montrose Luxury Travel Expo Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Hyatt comes to Curaçao New Hotels and Resorts in Asia CLIA Tightens Qualifications for ID Tripology Links Agents to Clients In the Spotlight Agent Access Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - August 18, 2008

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