Health Tourism Generates RM570 Million In Revenue Last Year.

21^st March, 2013

Health Tourism Generates RM570 Million In Revenue Last Year.

KUALA LUMPUR - The health tourism sector has generated RM570.5 million in revenue last year, following improved customer experience, proactive alliances and niche marketing.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said: "We have seen a more than 20 percent growth in terms of health tourism since the past three years."

Health tourism has been outlined as one of the entry point projects under the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA), and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council was established to drive the promotion.

Speaking at the launching of the Healthcare in Asia 2013 conference, here, today, Liow said as for the national budget allocation, the ministry hoped to push for at least 10 percent to be allocated for the health sector compared to the current eight percent.

However there would be no cut back in budget allocation for the health sector, he added.

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Asian patients drive Singapore's medical tourism recovery.

Date: 18 February 2013

Asian patients drive Singapore's medical tourism recovery.

PATIENTS from neighbouring Asian countries now make up the top five nationalities of medical tourists in Singapore instead of Americans and Britons, as growth in their home economies outstrip developments in healthcare.

According to local broadsheet The Straits Times, the number of foreign patients seeking medical treatment is on the rise again after waning in 2009 due to the global financial crisis.

According to statistics from Singapore’s Ministry of Health and the Singapore Tourism Board, a total of 35,959 medical tourists visited the city-state in 2011 and spent almost S$1 billion (US$806.9 million), an increase over the two previous years.

Indonesians accounted for 47.2 per cent of these tourists, with Malaysians a distant second at 11.5 per cent, followed by Bangladeshis (five per cent), Vietnamese (4.1 per cent) and Myanmar nationals (2.7 per cent).

The majority of medical tourists opt for treatment at private hospitals, where procedures can be less costly as foreigners are not subsidised at public ones, said The Straits Times. Statistics show most tourists come for general surgery.

Healthcare experts interviewed by the paper said that while US and UK citizens used to travel to Singapore for cheap medical services, lower prices in Thailand, Malaysia and India are now posing strong competition.

Copyright @ TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

Ferry service to Acheh will boost Penang medical tourism.

Date: 16 January 2013

Ferry service to Acheh will boost Penang medical tourism.

GEORGE TOWN - A new ferry service connecting Penang to Langsa in Acheh, Indonesia is set to boost the state’s medical tourism, according to facilitators Penang Port Sdn Bhd. The service, operated by Langkawi Ferry Services and managed by TYC Resources, will start on February 21 with two trips to and from Langsa each week.

Penang Port managing director Datuk Ahmad Ibnihajar said the new service will bring in more medical tourists to Penang as well as foster trade between the locations. “We start with a passenger ferry service but it is hoped that in future there will also be a cargo ferry service to encourage trading ties between Acheh and Penang,” he said.

He said Acheh has a population of around five million and of this, 20 per cent are affluent and expected to travel frequently to Penang for medical treatment and leisure.

PPSB is facilitating the new service, which will operate from Swettenham Pier. TYC Resources executive director Thong Yow Chuan said the company aims to ferry 100 passengers per trip between both cities. The capacity of the ferry is up to 138 passengers and the company will first evaluate the demand for the service in the first three months before increasing the number of trips between Langsa and Penang.

“For now, we target 100 passengers each trip and as demand increases, we may increase the number of trips,” he said in a press conference held at PPSB’s office this afternoon. Tickets for a return trip from Penang to Langsa is RM180 for adults and RM120 for children. The tickets are available for purchase at the Langkawi Ferry Services Ticketing counter.

By Opalyn Mok

Copyright © 2013 The Malaysian Insider

India cramps Malaysian outbound with new restriction.

Date: 3 January 2013

India cramps Malaysian outbound with new restriction.

IN AN abrupt about-turn, the Indian High Commission has ruled that Malaysians cannot stay for more than 30 days at a time in India, a move that has dismayed tour operators. It also flies in the face of an earlier policy change which saw the mandatory two-month gap between tourists’ visits to India scrapped just weeks ago.

Malaysian Indian Travel and Tour Association president, K Thangavelu, said the change would affect Malaysians planning to stay more than a month in India, especially those who go for yoga and meditation, Ayurvedic treatments and pilgrimage tours.

“We feel the new ruling is unfair as it is only implemented for Malaysia and not worldwide. We have written to the deputy high commissioner, Aseem R Mahajan, to express our concerns on the matter and are awaiting a response,” he opined.

M Nantha Gopal, managing director, Nantha Travel & Tours, said he had seen a group of 30 Malaysians planning a three-month visit to Bengaluru in March defer their plans.

Johnson Francis, managing director of Oscar Holidays, added that he had yet to decide whether he would shorten his pilgrimage itinerary – which stretches beyond 30 days, starting from Varanasi and ending at Tamil Nadu – or break it into two tours. The peak period for such pilgrimage tours is from November to February.

By S Puvaneswary, Kuala Lumpur

Copyright @ TTG Asia Media Pte Ltd © 2013

Businesses, cooperatives asked to explore health tourism.

Date: 28 December 2012

Businesses, cooperatives asked to explore health tourism.

KUCHING: Cooperatives and businesses have been asked to explore the possibilities of investing in health tourism, which is gaining popularity among visitors to the state. Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said there are many opportunities to explore as Kuching and Sibu already have specialist centres.

“Four major specialist centres have been known to serve this segment, and they mostly come from a neighbouring country, which is Indonesia,” said Abang Johari, who named the Rejang Medical Centre, Timberland Medical Centre, Kuching Specialist Hospital and Normah Medical Specialist Centre.

“This ever-expanding segment should be seen as an opportunity and we hope that those who specialise in this line will look into setting up more specialist centres here.”

He pointed out that a significant number of the four million tourists entering the state this year underwent medical treatment. “Choices such as Singapore for medical treatment have escalated but now we have specialists from there flying over here and this is why we have increasing numbers,” he explained when opening the Koperasi Koppes Sarawak Berhad (Koppes) Haemodialysis Centre yesterday.

He praised Koppes for expanding its business, which also includes construction and plantations. “The state government realises the need to build at least 20,000 units of houses to accommodate the needs for the next five years and the number cannot be achieved without assistance from the private sector,” he said. “Koppes has also shown its capabilities to diversify its income with the venture towards the rubber and oil palm nursery business. This will definitely provide industries with the basic needs and I am sure Koppes will succeed in this line,” he said, adding that cooperatives should also consider venturing into the furniture industry.

Meanwhile, Koppes chairman Tan Sri Datuk Amar Abdul Aziz Husain said in his speech that the haemodialysis centre has five treatment machines. He said the centre’s strategic location should give it an advantage among diabetics requiring dialysis.

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Nip-tuck tourists drawn to Penang for better looks.

Date: 17 December 2012

Nip-tuck tourists drawn to Penang for better looks.

GEORGE TOWN: They are not just coming to this state for the sun and the surf. Affordable surgical procedures in Penang continue to draw “nip and tuck” tourists seeking to enhance their looks.

Consultant plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgeon Dr Lee Kim Siea said the cost of cosmetic surgery in Malaysia was at least 50% lower than in Singapore. “Surgery in South Korea and China do not come cheap either, although South Korea is cheaper than Singapore. The cost of cosmetic surgery depends on the materials used. All the same, doing a good, proper job is important,” said Dr Lee.

For example, he said a facelift would cost between RM10,000 and RM20,000 in Malaysia while in Singapore the cost could go up to RM50,000.

Dr Lee sees between 150 and 180 patients a month, of which 20% are foreigners. His foreign patients are mainly Indonesians and Japanese expatriates. Dr Lee said among the surgeries offered were for double eyelids, botox injections, liposuction, breast augmentation and enlargement, and facelifts, adding that his foreign patients kept him updated with their new looks by sending him their pictures through e-mail.

Tony Leong, director of Beautiful Holidays, a company that offers combination packages for medical holidays in Penang, said clients would also bring their families for a holiday. He added that 80% of their clients were from Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Leong said the company arranged for lodging and transportation from the airport to the hotel and post-surgery doctor visits.

By JOSEPHINE JALLEH josephine@thestar.com.my

Copyright © 1995-2012 Star Publications (M) Bhd

Malaysia... “the best kept secret in medical tourism”.

Date: 4 December 2012

Malaysia... “the best kept secret in medical tourism”.

The first Malaysia International Healthcare Travel Expo and Conference (MIHTE 2012) in Kuala Lumpur marked an important point in the development of Malaysia’s medical tourism industry, led by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC). MIHTE attracted more than 1,300 delegates from  34 countries and was supported by  84 local and international exhibitors.

As the local healthcare systems develop, the Asian medical travel sector has enjoyed a period of growth in a difficult global healthcare market that has yet to recover from the financial crisis of 2008. Malaysia came relatively late to the medical tourism game, riding on the coat tails of Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

As one conference attendee described the country, it has been “the best kept secret in medical tourism”. But it is very clear that the work of MHTC, led by Dr Mary Wong,  and the Association of Private Hospitals in Malaysia (APHM), led by Dr Jacob Thomas, is paying dividends. Malaysia has climbed into the top five of medical tourism destinations worldwide (IMTJ Market  Analysis).

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