ABSTRACT
Medical tourism refers to planned pursuit of health services by patients outside their domestic health system (Snyder et al. 2013). This activity may include obtaining health services, tourism for indigenous and alternative medical treatments as well as other forms of tourism undertaken with the purpose of addressing health concern. The industry is increasingly recognised as one of the emerging service sector that could generate significant economic benefits. Globally, this sector was valued approximately US$60 billion in 2006 and expected to increase to US$100 billion in 2012 (Wong and Musa, 2012). Within Asia countries, Thailand, India, Singapore and Malaysia have had a good head start in this burgeoning industry. In Thailand for instance, more than one million tourists have received medical treatment in 2005, generating revenues of US$615 million (Turner, 2007).
