1- The role of social media in tourism marketing in Jordan

2- The Impact of Smartphone Adoption on Marketing Therapeutic Tourist Sites in Jordan

3- The role of social media in tourism marketing in Jordan

dear doris,

you can chick my paper about tourism in general and in medical for any inquiry you welcome

but you should to know something about tourism the destination choice by tourist its not like before for many reasons

I am from India and costs for covering medical expenses are substantially lesser in this country. We have a pool of doctors who along with a state-of-art infrastructure that provide world class health services at almost one third of the prices or even less. Naturally, patients from various countries fly to India for their health purpose and when they come here, their accommodation, amenities, touring (since they are not here just for health), transportation expenses makes up a great deal of foreign earning for us. This aspect of Medical Tourism is quite popular in my country and I hope it is the same for all.

After this days, schools which provide tourism education and schools providing health education should start to cooperate

First World Treatments at a Third World Price. I would definitely participate.

start with prevention: good health an happiness

Hi Doris,

My opinion will be shocking but it is an opinion. I feel that calling it "medical travel" is better than medical tourism .May be tourism for me is more about leisure. But to travel to get a heart surgery, or kidney transplantation, is not really tourism for me?

So, some argue that such patients can have a tour in city or go and visit a museum before/after a surgery, so what? Does that makes it tourism?

Just my thoughts...

Mohamed:

Thank you for your comment. What if family travels with the "patient" and rather than wringing their hands in a hospital room they do go to a museum, is that not tourism? Just a thought! If the family goes to eat at a restaurant, well known or just local is that not tourism? I am thinking anything that contributes to the economy of the area of patient service may be considered tourism! Thoughts?

Doris,

But you did not comment on the "patient" who is the target of medical tourism - I suppose- and around him/her the concept is built basically? or is it built around the family with the patient? what if he travels alone to be treated?

Would any ill person seeking treatment outside his country and stays in a destination for less than a year qualify to be labeled a tourist? even tough he did not go out from his hospital room? A simple question !

"I am thinking anything that contributes to the economy of the area of patient service may be considered tourism "..... travel will do [adds to the economy], it does not have to be tourism !

Talking about the family, this is confusing but for me we need to consider what was their intention? touring a city or visiting a museum was a side activity not the main reason they traveled !

Do not be bothered by my thoughts please !

Mohamed:

In response...my mom was hospitalized and while I was visiting to keep mind, body and soul together I found it distracting to find entertainment outside of the sterile hospital environment. There were local waterfront restaurants and shopping in which I engaged along with doing my school work for my students.

If the "patient" is ambulatory and depending on the nature of the treatment one might engage in some type of "tourist" activity depending on location!

Hey Doris,

" If the "patient" is ambulatory and depending on the nature of the treatment one might engage in some type of "tourist" activity depending on location!"

So, you suggest that not every patient [and likewise accompanying people] fits the medical tourist label?... may be we need a taxonomy !

Mohamed:

Not every patient or support person may be ambulatory therefore they may not fit the "medical tourist" label. However, the hotel that is near a medical facility may offer something for its guests that are visiting a medical facility (either as patient or support) and might be loosely construed as medical tourism!

Doris,

Would not bother you more with my thoughts on this. Yet....

Of course, hotels and other service providers would take the chance and cater to such persons regardless of their condition. On the other hand, using such services does not mean the user automatically becomes a tourist !

Hotels, restaurants, museums, shopping malls do not only cater to tourists !

Mohamed:

If a person is staying at a hotel or using restaurants, malls, museums that are not in their home area would they not be a tourist regardless of the reason for the travel?

Doris,

" If a person is staying at a hotel or using restaurants, malls, museums that are not in their home area would they not be a tourist regardless of the reason for the travel? "

Not necessarily Doris !.... for example, would migrants, asylum seekers qualify for this if they stay in a hotel?

If a person stays abroad for more than 12 months, or less than an overnight then he is not a tourist. So there is a time limitation.

Furthermore, If s/he travels and works and earns money in that country and eats in a restaurant or visits a museum or buys something from a shopping mall he is not a tourist !

You may like to check these sources.

https://publications.unwto.org/sites/all/files/pdf/9789284420858.pdf

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/143490244.pdf

Regards

Good point! However, if a person is in a specific location and has a designated time frame for a medical procedure they could be part of medical tourism?

I get your point, I lived in London for a year and was part of the work-a-day work world so I was not the tourist until I left my "home area"!

Thanks for the stimulating comments and challenges!

Thank you for your patience and the discussion, Doris !

You may like to have a look into this

https://glomed.education/

Best wishes

Hey Doris Yates , what I can see is that the term "medical tourism" is getting more blurred and substituted by other forms, such as wellness tourism. Specifically in the European context, we differentiate between destinations that have long traditions in the area of medical tourism and those they offer medical services but operate in the sector of wellness tourism. The former destinations are currently attempting to incorporate wellness features, so that they are not purely medical, more modern. This is explained by emergent wellness boom - customers tend to keep fit and well and prevent unhealthy medical conditions

Hi:

I teach a wellness class that covers eight dimensions. How is wellness being defined and how is it being incorporated into 'medical tourism'?

Hi Doris Yates

We define wellness as "a way of life oriented toward optimal health and well-being in which the body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live

more fully within the human and natural community” (Myers, Sweeney & Witmer, 2000). I did not mean that wellness tourism was incorporated into medical tourism, it serves for a different purpose. The focus of wellness tourism may be on the physical body (sleep, nutrition, relaxation), psychology and the mind (mindfulness, stress management), the spirit (connecting to oneself, nature, medication). It is about improving health, fitness, quality of life, balance and happiness. Its about prevention rather than cure. I personally think it is better connected to health tourism

Would connecting to oneself, improving one's quality of life, balance and happiness not be part medical tourism especially if 'a cosmetic procedure' is the reason for the travel? For example, dental work or tattoo removal and employability!