Effect of Coronavirus Pandemic on Medical Tourism

Needless to say, the coronavirus pandemic has affected many businesses worldwide. The downfall of the economy pushed firms and businesses to downsize or shut down their operations altogether. Since the Covid-19 practically stopped travelling across the globe, the travel industry faced the most brutal hit. This led to many questions like will medical tourism survive the coronavirus pandemic? 

Medical Tourism amid Covid-19 Pandemic

Medical tourism gained popularity in the last decade due to high-quality modern treatments and affordable healthcare services. Going to a beautiful destination with the guarantee of effective treatment was the key factor behind this flourishing business until the Covid-19 pandemic hit us. The doors for travel were shut. 

Being one of the most prominent continents for Medical Tourism, Europe closed its borders to the rest of the world to control the outbreak. It resulted in massive damage to health tourism or the tourism industry in general. According to reports, up to 78% drop in international tourism was observed. Although now things are getting better with fewer travel restrictions, still things for Europe are far from what they used to be before this pandemic. Similarly, Asia has also been affected significantly due to national lockdowns and international travel restrictions. 

Recovering from the Impact of Covid-19 

Even after being badly hit by a novel coronavirus, the medical tourism industry is on its road to recovery. Considering the magnitude of damage, this industry will take its time to get back to the level seen prior to the pandemic. However, many healthcare facilities worldwide are implementing preventive measures to rebuild this industry in their countries. 

It is worth mentioning that healthcare providers are putting their best foot forward to offer quality healthcare services—for instance, the launch of telemedicine platforms to connect with both international and local patients. Similarly, the airline industry is leveraging numerous digital approaches to speed up the recovery by providing medical travelers with digital platforms to efficiently plan their itinerary for the post-COVID period. 

Tourism companies and governments are also providing the best travel packages to their international travelers. For example,  in Mexico, a campaign named #Come2MexicanCaribbean was launched, offering traveler freebies free hotel stays, car rentals, and attractive discounts on tourist destinations to entice them.

To add more, healthcare players are taking vital steps to revive business to improve their stake in the market. In particular, COVID cover is being offered by many to support the medical tourism industry. 

Ranked as the most Covid-19 safe country, Dubai has opened its door for medical tourists and welcomes a large number of patients for their treatment. Similarly, Turkey, Germany, Thailand, Bulgaria, and many other countries have been making policies to cater to patients’ needs while being safe from the virus. Click Hospital connects you to the top healthcare facilities that are complying with all the Covid-19 precautions. 

Wrapping Up

Just like any other industry, Medical Tourism is also affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite all the lows, it is on its road to recovery due to the significant contributions of technology. Telemedicine is getting a lot of attention now, and most of the hospitals offer pre-travel diagnosis and post-travel online consultation services. Although such solutions are not equivalent to in-person treatment, they continue to connect medical facilities and patients. 

Click hospital offers the best medical treatment globally at affordable rates in the world’s top countries. The hospitals that we connect you to are compliant with all the safety measures and high-quality treatment standards.