Malaysia is committed to become a leading health tourism destination in Asia. The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council is now opening offices to promote medical facilities in Bangladesh and Indonesia and soon in Hong Kong.
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia is promoting its hospitals and clinics as new tourism attractions besides tropical islands, fascinating beaches and rainforest, in an effort to brand the country as a healthcare travel destination.
Malaysian Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said on Tuesday that high-quality and reasonable rates for the country’s medical service are attracting more and more foreigners. The number of foreign patients arrivals achieved an impressive 48 percent increase to 583,000 in 2011 compared to the previous year. Most appealing medical services are knee replacement, followed by cardiac care and cancer treatment, Liow said during his opening speech at the International Healthcare Travel Expo 2012. The Health Minister indicated that Malaysia is “also fast being recognized for the quality of its orthopedic treatment.”
The Malaysian government is working to position the country as a preferable healthcare destination in the region. Liow said that the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, an agency established by the government to develop and promote the healthcare travel industry, had set up a hotline for global enquiry.
The agency recently opened representative offices in Dhaka, Bangladesh and in Jakarta, Indonesia, while its Hong Kong office would be operational next year, Liow said. A medical gallery would also be set up at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and similar facilities might be put in place at other important gateways to the country.
Liow later told a press conference that his ministry was looking at Korea, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and China as tourists travelling for health purposes are on the increase from those countries.
Meanwhile, Malaysia would promote traditional treatments like acupuncture from China besides modern medicine, he said.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
