Taiwan - TAITRA studies South Korean medical tourism

Taiwan External Trade and Development Council (TAITRA) Executive Vice President Walter Yeh led a delegation to South Korea Jan. 15 to 18 to learn more about that country’s medical tourism strategies and policies.

The seven-member delegation visited related government agencies, medical establishments and cosmetic surgery clinics. It also attended a forum Jan. 16, during which industry representatives, officials and academics exchanged views on potential cooperation between the two countries.

Yeh noted that the South Korean government has been actively promoting the development of the country’s medical tourism industry since 2009, with many private institutions actively involved in the campaign.

Efforts have included the use of popular stars as spokespersons, promotion of the nation’s strengths in specific areas of medical care, establishment of a medical tourism information center at Seoul’s main international airport, and a website providing regularly updated information on related services, he said.

For Taiwan, establishing brand names to avoid price reduction competition is the most important direction for development of its own medical tourism industry looking forward.

TAITRA said the medical areas in which Taiwan and South Korea excel are different, and their target clients are not the same, with Taiwan focusing more on overseas Chinese and clients from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, while South Korea’s primary focus is on U.S., mainland Chinese, Russian and Japanese clients.

As Taiwan and South Korea are not in direct competition, there is much potential for the development of cooperation between the two countries, the council said. (SB)

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