mzanzi addition 6 digital text2

Health & Wellness
resort nestled on a citrus farm near Citrusdal in the Western Cape; the
world-famous Avalon Springs Hotel and Resort at Montague, also in the
Western Cape; the Cradock Spa in the Eastern Cape; Aliwal North Spa and
Badfontein Guest Farm on the banks of the Orange River; the Goudini Spa
at Rawsonville; the Warm Baths at Bela Bela in Limpopo; and Badplaas in
Mpumalanga, among many others.
Health and medical travel in the corporate sphere is also big in Africa,
particularly in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco,
Tunisia and Egypt. As already mentioned, South Africa has become
favourite destination in this regard due to its excellent private health
facilities, highly-trained and renowned medical professionals, its airports
that are linked to all major cities around the world, and the rand exchange
rate which has become big factor.
To this end the Pan African Industry Health Tourism Industry stakeholders
in June hosted the first ever Pan African Health Tourism Congress at the
uMfolozi Hotel, Casino and Convention Centre in Empangeni, Richards Bay,
in KwaZulu-Natal, under the banner “tapping a larger share of the health
wallet”.
Photosky / Shutterstock
There is an ever growing demand for health services as a global
phenomenon, linked to economic development that generates rising
incomes and education. Demographic change, especially population ageing
and older people’s requirements for more medical services, coupled with
epidemiological change, i.e. rising incidence of chronic conditions, also fuel
demand for more and better health services, said the organisers.
Waiting times and/or the increasing cost of health services at home,
coupled with the availability of cheaper alternatives in developing
countries, has lead new healthcare consumers, or medical tourists, to
seek treatment overseas. The correspondent growth in the global health
service sector reflects this demand, said the organisers of the conference.
According to them, South Africa has in the past decade grown into a
sophisticated healthcare hub with the world taking advantage of the
Gangis Khan / Shutterstock
MZANZI TRAVEL| www.mzanzitravel.co.za|ISSUE 6 | 73
LongJon / Shutterstock