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Taiwan becoming a key
player in medical tourism
NICHE MARKET: The nation recorded 81,462 medical
tourists by the end of the third quarter last year and policymakers hope such
tourism will boost the economy
Staff writer, with CNA
Besides traditional sightseeing tours that take visitors to Sun Moon Lake and
the mountainous region of Alishan (ªü¨½¤s), the nation is also drawing tourists
that are seeking to become healthier and more physically attractive.
In Hualien, an area traditionally known more for its coastal scenery than
medical services, 67 medical institutions and travel operators recently started
offering high-end medical packages aimed at Chinese tourists.
Priced at NT$500,000, the seven-day package features a combination of
Western-style physical checkups and clinical cosmetology, as well as Chinese
preventive medicine.
A 14-day package features even higher-end healthcare and anti-aging treatment
for double the price, according to a county international medical tourism
association established by the local government.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital in Hualien also offers interesting
services in the field of medical tourism.
The hospital made a name for itself by making people¡¦s legs slimmer through a
calf muscle trimming procedure, which has been drawing tourists from as far as
Brazil.
Since 2001, the hospital has conducted the procedure on 500 people.
Of all the medical tourists visiting the hospital, 20 percent are from China,
Hong Kong, Macau, the US, Canada and Japan.
What is happening in Hualien is part of a larger development across the nation,
where policymakers are increasingly attaching importance to medical tourism as a
new niche market and a way to boost the country¡¦s economy.
According to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the
nation¡¦s top trade promoter, Taiwan received 81,462 medical tourists by the end
of the third quarter of last year, more than double the 39,428 visitors who came
in 2011.
Among those treated last year, 60 percent came for treatment, 27 percent for
health check-ups and 13 percent for cosmetic surgery, TAITRA said.
In December last year, Minister without Portfolio Kuan Chung-ming (ºŞ¤¤¶{) proposed
setting up a ¡§service industry experimental zone¡¨ near Taiwan Taoyuan
International Airport that would offer ¡§derivative services from tourism.¡¨
The ¡§derivative services¡¨ could include the travel, shopping, clinical
cosmetology and financial services sectors and would cater to the needs of
international visitors.
Kuan said the idea was part of efforts aimed at boosting employment by
cultivating the service industry.
The Council for Economic Planning and Development also floated the idea of ¡§free
economic demonstration zones¡¨ that would foster the transformation of Taiwan
into a regional hub of critical medical care and medical tourism, industrial
innovation, international logistics, global talent training and agricultural
product sales.
Meanwhile, the nation has been striving to attract more medical tourists from
China, given the two countries¡¦ linguistic and cultural similarities, observers
said.
According to TAITRA, 3 million people undergo plastic surgery in China every
year.
The market for cosmetic surgery in China has grown by 10 percent annually and
had surpassed the global average of 6 percent, TAITRA said. Taiwan also launched
a 15-day medical tourism visa in January last year to cater to Chinese tourists.
In August last year, the government also promoted an e-visa service to make it
easier for Chinese tourists to visit Taiwan for physical checkups, cosmetic
surgery or anti-aging treatments.
Taiwan received a total of 50,376 medical tourists from China last year.
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