For the first time, the government and private sector in Mexico are working together to make sure Mexico offers all the medical services and surgeries that foreign patients are looking for in Medical Tourism.
“The lack of joint strategies make the companies and medical tourism destinations a lost business opportunity,” says Director of International Business at Tecnológico de Monterrey, Camus Sante Fe.
Since 2013, executives of medical tourism companies and government representatives who oversee Mexico’s hospitals and healthcare, have come together with the Medical Tourism Project and Coparmex.
The project aims to create a product that includes flight, hotel, and medical care and market the packages to travel agencies in the US and Canada.
Officials from Coparmex have recently visited Puerto Vallarta to meet with companies who are interested in promoting this type of tourism in the area.
The National Foreign Trade Bank and Secretary of Tourism have plans to support companies through marketing campaigns and funding programs in medical tourism.
Medical Tourism emerged in Mexico three decades ago without any program or strategy because foreigners began to notice they could receive the same treatments and care in Mexico at a fraction of the cost.
Since then, patients in the US and Canada have traveled to Puerto Vallarta and other cities, such as, Tijuana, Monterrey, and Cancun for cosmetic, weight loss, and dental care.
Mexico receives one million patients each year, just over 4% of the 23.7 million foreign visitors in 2013.
Medical Tourism visitors spend between $5,000 – $20,000 USD, while traditional tourists spend an average of $1,200.
Who still uses a travel agent? Haven’t used one since 1995…
what about the American residents living here? We can’t afford the cash only health-care or the insurance!!!!!!
I think that is a personal choice that each of us make when we move to a foreign country. We know moving here as foreigners our options is cash or insurance. Luckily I have lived here for a decade without even a sneeze. Knock on wood that I never get really sick… I would be in a bad situation too. :-/
does all inclusive mean resorts?if so that is the death of local businesses. Mexico has just discovered the all inclusive….after it having been exactly what killed tourism in Italy,Spain ,France…and they now want OUT.!
No, the phrase “All-Inclusive” means everything included. And unless surgeries start taking place at resorts I think we are safe :) It means travel deals with the surgery, airfare, food, and probably my guess is hotel stays after the procedures during recovery. And possibly those hotels would be at resorts just because they offer more pampering and the need to move around less, which is probably a concern for someone coming alone for surgery.., just my guess but not to be taken as factual news.
thank you for your reply…in that case quite understandable….I am just very sad to see local businesses go down due to the resorts….already proven disastrous to local tourism in other countries.
Great idea!