Medical tourism - International Conference, Call For Paper ...

The brochure will promote Malaysia as a health tourist destination and will list the 35 private hospitals
and 20 travel agencies in the country, which are participating in health tourism.
Much of Malaysia’s attraction lies in the wide array of medical services and procedures including
dental, cosmetic and cardiac surgeries at significantly lower costs compared with the United States.
Also, foreign medical tourists and investors are attracted by Malaysia’s favourable exchange rate,
political and economic stability and high rate of literacy, since Thailand still suffered from the political
instability, some foreign medical tourist will choose Malaysia as their alternative for medical tourism
destination, Nuwire Investors (2008).
Competitive medical fees and modern medical facilities are two vital factors that make Malaysia a
popular destination among health tourists. Patients can undergo treatment and recuperate in any part of
the country for less than what it would cost them for a treatment in other countries. For example, a
normal cardiac bypass surgery (CABG) in Malaysia would cost only between US$6,000 and US$7,000
(Tourism Malaysia, 2007).
To ease entry formalities for patients, the Immigration Department of Malaysia has implemented the
Green Lane System at main entry points which expedites custom clearance for medical tourists.
Accompanying family members or friends of the patient can take advantage of their visit to Malaysia’s
various interesting tourist attractions. Cities like Kuala Lumpur and Penang offer a truly
comprehensive range of both health and tourism services, all within easy reach (Tourism Malaysia,
2007).
Besides the Ministry of Health, a committee was formed to assist the promotion of health tourism. It
comprised of the Ministry of Tourism, the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia and other
government agencies such as the Malaysian Association of Tours and Travel Agencies, Malaysian
Airlines and several private hospitals. This committee was called “The National Committee for the
Promotion of Heath Tourism in Malaysia”. Membership of the committee has also been extended to
several other agencies such as the Malaysian Industrial Development Authority, the Malaysian
Association of Tour and Travel Agencies, Malaysian Airlines System, the Primary Care Doctors’
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