How DOT is shaping Philippines as emerging health, tourism destination in Asia
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Tourism has reiterated its commitment to position the Philippines as a health and wellness tourism hub in Asia and globally.
This was in line with its agenda to diversify the tourism product portfolio of the Philippines as it also seeks to become a tourism powerhouse in the region.
On Friday, the DOT signed a deal with a global leader in the medical and wellness industry, the Dubai-based Agora Group, to be a partner for the high-level gathering of tourism stakeholders and medical professionals at the First International Health and Wellness Tourism Congress (IHWTC) 2023.
The event, which will happen from June 8 to 9 in Dusseldorf, Germany, is eyed as a venue to promote the health and wellness tourism offerings of the Philippines to tourism stakeholders mostly from the medical and wellness industry.
There are also expected 100 corporate buyers with a combined budget of $2 billion.
“The signing of this partnership with Agora is one that we welcome with great hope and optimism knowing that it's been in the pipeline for 20 years,” Frasco said.
The agreement was formalized by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco and Agora Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hadi Malaeb, at one of the country’s leading medical facilities, The Medical City in Pasig.
It was also witnessed by DOT OIC-Undersecretary for Tourism Development Verna Buensuceso, Office of Product and Market Development (OPMD) Director Paulo Benito Tugbang, and Agora Group Philippine Representative Angel Bognot.
Frasco said this partnership manifests that the current administration is “serious” in prioritizing medical tourism as a marketable product of the country.
“We are giving the Philippines a fighting chance at becoming a tourism powerhouse in Asia. And we recognize that medical tourism and wellness tourism hold one of the keys to this endeavor, because we have the people, we have the facilities, and we are adjusting government policies to ensure that the climate for medical tourism to thrive will ensue,” Frasco said.
What the Philippines can offer
The tourism chief said Philippines’ advantage to woo more visitors in the country’s healthcare facilities is “the culture of care and compassion shown by Filipinos who are in these facilities give us the strategic advantage that people from the Middle East are already familiar with the level of care that Filipinos can give.”
Frasco also mentioned the potential of Boracay and CALABARZON as wellness tourism destinations in the Philippines.
She said that traveling visitors of the Philippines “heal after their procedure” on the beach, in the mountains, and can also Filipino food offerings and experience the Filipino brand of hospitality.
The Philippines is also offering signature Filipino “hilot” at various tourism-accredited resorts and spas in the country.
“We are also looking at our islands, including Boracay, as a potential destination for Filipino wellness as well as CALABARZON that have a host of wonderful offerings in terms of wellness,” the tourism chief said.
Aside from these, the Philippines has 23 health facilities internationally accredited and recognized by the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).
The DOT cited there are also 63 private hospitals in close to four international airports with almost no waiting time for appointments and treatment. The country’s facilities are also offering comparatively cheaper cost of treatments compared to Western countries and other countries within Asia.
The agency also stressed that the Philippines is also one of the biggest English-speaking countries in the world where hospitals employ English-speaking healthcare workers and are mostly recognized by foreign insurance companies.
Frasco likewise underscored that Filipino medical healthcare workers are special, citing the Filipino disaspora.
“Everywhere that I've been in the world since becoming Secretary of Tourism and I say this all the time. I've always heard a positive story about a Filipino worker abroad and mostly it's about doctors, nurses, and caregivers, stories from foreigners who have felt the compassion, the care, the commitment to duty, and the willingness to go the extra mile to help those in need,” Frasco said.
“That diaspora is very well replicated in all our medical personnel here in the Philippines, wherever you may find yourself in our over 7,000 islands and that is why we are very confident in pitching for the Philippines as the next emerging medical tourism and wellness destination in Asia,” she added.
Through the partnership with Agora Group Dubai, the Philippines is looking into attracting the Middle East market.
Agora Group Dubai has estimated global health and wellness tourism to be worth $45.5 to $72 billion, with 14 to 16 million cross-border patients and an average spend of $3,800 to $6,000 per visit, based on its presentation to the DOT.
In May last year, the DOT was also eyed as an "attractive medical tourism destination" by Frasco's predecessor former Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, wherein the country's hospitals and facilities, skilled doctors and nurses, and the Filipino brand of hospitality was also cited as among its advantages.
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