SINGAPORE - Treat new niche holistically

TTGasia, Nov 17 - 23, 2006 / No.1502

IMITATION, they say, is the sincerest form of flattery and many countries want to follow in Singapore’s footsteps for the success it has achieved in setting high standards for areas such as education, public housing, technology, etc.

In the past, Japan and Switzerland used to be Singapore’s benchmarks and some would say it has surpassed its role models in some fields.

Singapore, for example, has done extremely well in tourism, attracting almost 10 million visitors last year, and the trade here would argue it has more to offer than the other two destinations; and award-winning Singapore Airlines and Singapore Changi Airport are not just local icons, but recognised internationally.

Now, Singapore wants to add medical tourism to its list of targets. But with more governments and countries recognising the importance of the tourism dollar and the high revenue medical tourists bring – as they are willing to pay for good medical treatment and stay for extended periods – more countries are jumping onto, or have jumped onto the medical tourism bandwagon. We don’t have to look far as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines are also touting themselves as equally good destinations to seek medical treatment, with one big advantage. Cost in those South-east Asian countries are relatively cheaper.

Now add to the list countries such as Dubai, South Korea and even South Africa, which are moving with 20-20 vision in search of medical tourists.

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