Tourism News
Kerala: refreshing, rejuvenating, now healing too...
Published in Newsletter Issue No. 146 - Oct 1 2005
Medical tourism, the newest addition to Kerala's tourism industry is fast growing attracting large number of people from different parts of the world. The State's immense resources both in terms of expertise and infrastructure are wooing patients even from countries like the USA, UK and Canada. And the client list of many hospitals in the State includes nationals of several Asian countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
World-class treatment facilities at lower than the international rates are the reason for the boom in Kerala's health tourism sector, says Mr. E. K. Bharat Bhushan, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism. Medical tourism has been identified as a potential product in the next five years. Government is evolving strategies to tap the market, he said. Be it a plastic surgery, correction of congenital malformation, breast reconstruction surgery or a regular dental filling, hospitals in Kerala offer world- class treatment at low costs. A regular dental filling which would cost around ?400 in Austria will cost only ?10 here. A hip replacement surgery, which costs around US $ 12,000 outside India, can be carried out at one-third amount here.
The hospitals have speciality and super speciality departments and state- of- the art facilities for both diagnosis and treatment. Hundreds of highly qualified medical practioners and other paramedical staff work here. Private healthcare industry and stakeholders of the tourism industry offers attractive health tourism packages. Some hospitals even provide five- star luxurious stay and multi- cuisine facilities. The official host to God's Own Country, the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation offers an attractive health tourism package.
World-class treatment facilities at lower than the international rates are the reason for the boom in Kerala's health tourism sector, says Mr. E. K. Bharat Bhushan, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism. Medical tourism has been identified as a potential product in the next five years. Government is evolving strategies to tap the market, he said. Be it a plastic surgery, correction of congenital malformation, breast reconstruction surgery or a regular dental filling, hospitals in Kerala offer world- class treatment at low costs. A regular dental filling which would cost around ?400 in Austria will cost only ?10 here. A hip replacement surgery, which costs around US $ 12,000 outside India, can be carried out at one-third amount here.
The hospitals have speciality and super speciality departments and state- of- the art facilities for both diagnosis and treatment. Hundreds of highly qualified medical practioners and other paramedical staff work here. Private healthcare industry and stakeholders of the tourism industry offers attractive health tourism packages. Some hospitals even provide five- star luxurious stay and multi- cuisine facilities. The official host to God's Own Country, the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation offers an attractive health tourism package.
