Mexico Steps Up Efforts to Attract Medical Tourists

Hoteliers, hospitals and tourism boards in Mexico are uniting in a drive to attract medical tourists. The segment is already booming, thanks in part to a burgeoning public-private partnership that’s raising the profile of medical travel.

Here’s what agents should know.

Evolving niche
Mexico already welcomes more than 1 million medical tourists each year, according to the Mexico Tourism Board.
 
That’s no surprise, considering Mexico’s long history in medical travel. For decades, U.S. residents in southwestern states have sought inexpensive dental treatments and other services across the border.

But Mexico’s medical tourism industry – and the travelers it attracts – have become much more sophisticated, due in large part to the growth of medical travel across the globe.

“This is a growing industry everywhere. Some years ago, Mexico realized it needed to step up the game,” said Carlos Arceo, CEO of the Mexico Summit on Medical Tourism Business and president of the Mexico Council for the Medical Tourism Industry.
 
The effort involves reaching out to the travel industry, including agents, Arceo said. “Travel agents should know what Mexico can deliver for medical tourism. It’s especially important for those who are already sending clients here for leisure travel.”
 
Public-private efforts
Arceo and the nearly 50 members of Mexico’s Medical Tourism Council are leading a public-private partnership to raise the profile of medical tourism. Thus far, they’re on an upward path.

Since 2006, the number of medical travelers to Mexico has nearly doubled. And the Mexico Tourism Board projects that by 2016 medical travel will generate more than $3 billion in spending for the country’s economy.

Tourism officials are also shining more of a spotlight on health travel, which has been identified as a key segment for growth (along with ecological travel, adventure, weddings and business meetings), according to Arceo.

Medical travel
Mexico officials place medical and wellness travel together under the broad category of “health tourism.”

On the medical tourism front, Mexico has more than 100 hospitals accredited to meet international standards. It also boasts more medical specialists per capita than the U.S., according to ProMexico, the government body that promotes international trade.

Medical procedures sought out most frequently by foreign visitors to Mexico include bariatric surgery, plastic surgery, IVF and reproductive medicine, orthopedic, dental and vision care surgeries.

Among the advantages of traveling to Mexico for healthcare that are touted by its medical tourism industry are no wait time and cost savings as high as 90%.

Wellness travel
Mexico’s wellness tourism offering is anchored in nearly 500 spas that provide everything from thalassotherapy and yoga to Mexican traditional medicine.

Mexico’s wellness travel offering also includes a growing number of accredited and licensed lifestyle management retreats and centers. Integrated centers that offer both surgical and relaxation spa/wellness programs are also on the rise.

Destinations within Mexico
More than a dozen destinations in Mexico actively promote medical tourism.

In addition, a number of “regional clusters” have been formed to promote cooperation between the medical and tourism industries, including local hotels, hospitals and attractions.

These regional clusters are located in Baja California, Chihuahua, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Mexico City, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Quintana Roo and Sonora.

These areas include some of Mexico’s most prominent internationally-certified hospitals. They also include top tourist destinations such as Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Nayarit.

Packages to sell
For his part, Arceo is working on developing health tours that agents can sell.

“In destinations such as Puerto Vallarta, many hotels already work with doctors and hospitals. They have entire floors that agents can book clients into.

“We’re developing training for the tourism industry in other parts of Mexico. We’re reaching out to ground operators, airlines and charter companies to tell them about a new way to do business.

“We want to get agents involved as well,” said Arceo.

Health tourism has big potential for Mexico and for agents who sell Mexico, he noted.

“Last year we received 23 million tourists to Mexico. Those tourists represent many different segments. But medical tourism has the potential to take off more than any of the other segments. After all, people always want to take care of their health.”