Before ten years the medical tourism was barely large enough to be a significant one. Now a days more than 250,000 patients per year visit Singapore alone - nearly half of them in the Middle East. This year, approximately half a million foreign patients will travel to India for medical treatment while in 2002 the number was only 150,000. In nominal terms, experts estimate that medical tourism could bring India as much as $ 2.2 billion annually by 2012. Argentina, Costa Rica, Cuba, Jamaica, South Africa, Jordan, Malaysia, Hungary, Latvia and Estonia have all taken a foothold in this lucrative market as well, or try to thus, and more countries join the list each year. Some important trends guarantee that the market for medical tourism will continue to increase in coming years. By 2015, the health of the vast baby boom generation has begun its slow decline and final, and, with more than 220 million boomers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand This represents a significant market for inexpensive medical care and high quality. The medical tourism will be particularly attractive in the U.S., where 43 million people without medical insurance is disease and 120 million without coverage - numbers that are two to develop. Patients in Britain, Canada and other countries with long waiting lists for major surgery will be just as eager to take advantage of the foreign health care.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Kerala Travel Mart
The travel market of Kerala (KTM), the biennial gathering of buyer-seller has been a great success with 1304 buyers participating in the event. KTM, held between 20 and 23 September 2008 was occupied by resources and providers of services such as boat house, homestay accommodation, Ayurveda and tour. Buyers of 1304 registered, 455 were international buyers. The market consisted of 312 stalls. Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister of Tourism, the success of KTM clearly indicates the growing acceptance of Kerala as a destination in the world.
A draft tripartite agreement for cooperation in tourism was signed between India, Brazil and South Africa at a joint meeting of working group held during the travel of Kerala. Ms. Leena Nandan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Trade Unions, said that the agreement was a prelude to bilateral agreements between India, Brazil and South Africa in the future. According to Dr. Venu, V., secretary, tourism in Kerala, KTM clearly shows that the association between the public and the private sector can achieve excellent results in the tourism industry.
About 8 proposals worth Rs.850 million for investment in the tourism sector have been received B2B rally held by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation in KTM. According to Mr. Sivasankar, Director, Kerala Tourism, the number of increasingly important investment proposals identifies promising tourism industry for the state.
Backwater Tourism in Kollam / Quilon
Kollam is well known as lakes and back waters. A new destination has been added to tourist attractions in Kollam, Mr. Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Minister of Tourism, inaugurating the new center for water sports here, near the Channel NT Kochupilamood The center, which took almost 16 months accomplish, is a joint venture of Kerala Tourism Department and the inland. The center of water sports offers a range of equipment, including pedal boats, rowing and safari. The mare trips to the lake Ashtamudi and Lake Eravipuram are now available for visitors to Kollam. It is expected that the training of waterways Kollam - Kovalam of state in 2010, cruises mare become a reality and the private tourism can also have active participation. Dr. V. Venu, Secretary, Kerala Tourism, said that tourism mare has great potential in the tourism industry in the state. He also said steps would be visionaries who launched by the Kerala tourism to exploit the full potential of vast and scenic body of water of Kerala, especially in Kollam and Alappuzha.
