MEDICAL

Greece aims for healthy medical tourism growth

TOURISM

Greece is joining the legions of countries tapping into the growing global medical tourism market.

With its temperate climate and medical staff who carry a worldwide reputation for excellence, it is no wonder that Greece is establishing itself as a destination for medical tourism. The sector has strong potential for growth thanks to using the country’s existing and world famous tourism infrastructure as a stepping stone.

Given that tourism alone contributes about 18 per cent to Greece’s GDP annually, the diversification of the sector holds a lot of promise. According to a 2016 report by Deloitte healthcare is one of the world’s largest industries at close to 10 per cent of world GDP. This coincides with a rise in high-income households (those with incomes of above US$25,000 annually) particularly in Asia and the Middle East, plus longer life expectancies.

The benefits of medical tourism for the economy are several. It acts as a revenue generator by attracting foreign visitors, often leaning more towards the luxury market, who spend money in the local economy through medical treatments, hotel stays, food consumption and more.

It also contributes to the tourism industry, helps to develop medical infrastructure as countries strive to remain competitive, and can reverse the brain drain phenomenon by encouraging doctors to remain in their home country and practice their skills there, a perk that Greece could certainly do with having lost large swathes of qualified staff to overseas markets since the start of the crisis.

The factors working in Greece’s favour are many. Security wise, Greece is considered a safe destination. The country’s landscapes span beaches with a hot, dry atmosphere through to lush green forests high in the crisp air of the mountains, meaning that patients have a range of choices when it comes to where to stay during their recovery period. The country’s rich natural wealth of therapeutic springs, plentiful sunshine and a world-renowned diet heavily based on olive oil, fish, fresh fruit and vegetables are added bonuses to promote wellness.

As for the patients, they come in search of a range of treatments. Greece is a popular destination for dialysis patients, for example, thanks to a number of dialysis centres spread across the country, including in holiday hotspots. This means treatment can be non-intrusively combined with a holiday. Other procedures sought by patients include IVF, eye surgery, dental procedures, rehabilitation and plastic surgery.

The president of the Athens Medical Association…

Giorgos Patoulis, the president of the Athens Medical Association and Central Union of Municipalities of Greece, is active in the promotion of the country for those seeking high-quality medical treatment at an affordable price. He recently co-organised a two-day event in the United States promoting the country as a medical tourism destination, and is involved in the planning of a conference to promote Greek medical tourism on the island of Ithaca on May 27-28 this year.

“Greece combines medical excellence with excellent sanitation and the most modern technology,” he tells The National. “At the same time, it is one of the best tourist destinations in the world with a remarkable infrastructure that can meet all needs.”

Dr Patoulis says that the development of health tourism is a golden opportunity for those who want to invest in it, given the global growth in health tourism – worldwide, the medical tourism market is estimated to be worth up to $32 billion to $55bn annually. A 2013 estimate by the World Medical Tourism and the Global Healthcare Congress stated that the total market for medical tourism could reach 16 per cent of the overall income generated by the tourism industry by this year. It is a market that could offer a substantial boost to the Greek economy with enough attention and proper development.

SOURCE : http://www.thenational.ae

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