Economist encourages medical tourism efforts

The Philippines should now project that it is well ready to accept medical tourists from the international community in order to capture the foreign travelers market who are currently looking for a potential retirement site.

However, the country must also assure potential tourists of the improving peace and order situation, otherwise they will not consider Philippines as one of their choices for settling down.

Economist Emilio T. Antonio, Jr. said Philippines, as a medical tourism destination have been ready to accommodate this multi-million dollar market, but this component in the tourism sector has not been maximized yet by Filipino tourism players.

He said building right infrastructure for medical tourists should start now, as the demand outside is encouraging.

Cebu for instance, he said can compete well with other medical tourism destinations, like Thailand, but highlighting the availability of retirement village, internationally-at-par hospitals should be done.

Antonio said the Philippines should not wait, but build proper infrastructure now for this tourism component, otherwise other countries will reap the benefits of attracting the foreign retirees or the medical tourists.

Cebu, which is one of the safest provinces in the Philippines should maximize its advantage and must also focus on attracting the foreign retirees, aside from focusing on luring the vacationers.

He said European medical tourists are already considering the Philippines because of the climate.

"Europeans are nature lovers, as long as they are assured for the peace and order, they will surely come here," Antonio said.

Ten percent of patients in European Union (EU) countries are seeking treatment in medical institutions outside the boundaries of their own country.

The ideal environment to house the medical tourists especially from the European market may offer both healthcare and leisure services, such as (small) golf course, along the beach, with internationally-at par room, food and beverage services.

Medical Tourism is the next phenomenon here in the Philippines, next to call centers.

Reportedly, Thailand is earning around $280 million from treating 308,000 foreign patients. India on the other hand expects to earn at least $ 1 billion from healthcare tourism by 2012.

"We should set the infrastructure right, they will come if the project materialized and show them [medical tourists] that we are ready to accommodate them," Antonio said.

Meanwhile, realizing the potential of Cebu as the ideal retirement site, a Cebuana businesswoman spent an over US$1 million as initial investment of the 1.5 hectare A.C. Enclave Resort Homes, in Tabogon town, northern Cebu.

Developed by A.C. Signature Developments Inc., this first "retirement village" facility in Cebu is now aggressively marketing the property to the foreign nationals, or the Filipino-American who may want to retire in the Philippines.

"Cebu is an ideal place for retirement. I was prompted to develop this kind of project because a lot of our friends abroad are complaining and demanding for a facility that offers an integrated infrastructure and amenities inside the village," said Annie Chen, president of A.C. Signature Developments Inc.

The 1.5 hectare seaside retirement village offers 15 Bungalow type house and lot package, with complete amenities such as wellness center, commercial complex or mall, restaurant, among others.

Chen said the development is also assured of the tight security in the vicinity as its prospective buyers will be more conscious on their security, as they are finding peace in the place," Chen said.