Regional Strategies for the Development of Health Tourism in Iran

اقتصاد و توسعه منطقه ای

Article 3, Volume 30, Issue 25, June 2022, Pages 67-102   

Document Type: Original Article

DOI: 10.22067/erd.2022.69555.1025

Authors

seyedeh mahboubeh alerasoul¹; mahmood Hooshmand²; Seyed Saeed Malek sadati^{* 3}

¹M.A. of Economic Development and Planning Ferdowsi Univesity of Mashhad, Iran

²Professor, Department of Economics, Ferdowsi Univesity of Mashhad, Iran

³Assistant Professor of Economics, Ferdowsi Univesity of Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

 
1- INTRODUCTION
Health tourism is made up of combination of the two high-income branches of tourism and treatment services. The city of Mashhad has many potential and actual potentials in both health tourism sectors, i.e., tourism and health. Nevertheless, there are obstacles and challenges in the development of health tourism in the city of Mashhad, which have prevented it from achieving its rightful position in creating employment, added value and currency production. Therefore, the scientific analysis of the challenges and opportunities of this industry and the adoption of realistic strategies in accordance with the existing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are considered a necessary step in the direction of the development of health tourism in Mashhad. Therefore, in this research, through previous studies and in-depth interviews with industry experts, the most important strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of this industry in Mashhad were extracted. In the second step, the data was analyzed by using a questionnaire and SWOT tool, and finally, appropriate strategies were presented.
 
2- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The World Tourism Organization defines health tourism as follows: "Using services that lead to improving or increasing health and increasing a person's spirit by using mineral waters, weather or medical interventions and in a place outside of the person's place of residence and it takes more than 24 hours".
The health tourism industry encompasses a chain of services and activities that have together horizontal or vertical link, Therefore the whole chain must be analyzed to better understand the industry. Obviously, the weakness of each component of the chain eliminates the Possibility of benefiting from the opportunities of this industry.
Although, so far, empirical studies have dealt with the issue of health tourism from different aspects, this article has analyzed the health tourism industry with a different approach and from the point of view of the supply chain.
 

METHODOLOGY

The type of this research is applied in terms of nature and analytical - descriptive in terms of methodology. The purpose of this study is to investigate and identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the health tourism industry in Mashhad, as well as to provide strategies for developing health tourism industry in Mashhad with regard to the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
In order to extract strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, the information used in this research has been compiled with the help of a combination of the following methods:

A) Study of the research background, documents and available resources including research projects, undergraduate reports and theses and related articles.
B) To conduct in-depth interviews with experts and authorities of active health tourism units in hospitals and health tourism companies in Mashhad.

The statistical population of this research consist of experts in health tourism industry, active companies in the health tourism industry in Mashhad, hospitals located in Mashhad that have a unit responsible for coordinating health tourism. The method of sampling in this research is non-
random sampling method. In the statistical community, about 9 interviews were conducted. Data analysis was done by using questionnaire and SWOT approach.
 

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

The results of the analysis show that among the internal factors, the low cost of tourism and health services is the greatest strength, and weakness in advertising and marketing is the biggest weakness in the health tourism industry in Mashhad. Among the external factors, the presence of Imam Reza's Shrine is the greatest opportunity and the presence of major rivals and major challenges to the Arab and Western countries are among the greatest threats. Based on the results of this research, due to being more the weaknesses of this industry than the strengths and also being more opportunities than threats, the development of the health tourism industry in Mashhad should be pursued through a review strategy.
 

CONCLUSIONS & SUGGESTIONS

The purpose of this research is to extract the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of health tourism industry in Mashhad and provide solutions for the development and improvement of this industry. The results of the analysis show development of the health tourism industry in Mashhad should be pursued through a review strategy. It means a strategy that reduces internal weaknesses for foreign opportunities. Therefore, according to the results obtained, the following solutions are suggested:

Design and compilation of comprehensive and upstream document and perspective of health tourism.
Determine a specific trustee that have not dependency with any organization.
Organizing and overseeing dealers in a variety of ways. (Organizing and Supervision dealers in different ways)
Creation and expansion of transportation infrastructure.
Creating a brand called Hospital Hotel.
Branding for Iran in the field of treatment.
Standardization and Accreditation of Hospitals and Therapeutic Centers.
Establishing appropriate capacities in hospitals and health centers.
Dispatched doctor abroad.
Training human resources and efficient.
Upgrade improving health tourism capacity.
Private sector presence alongside the public sector.
Creating coordination between different businesses in the health tourism industry.
Provide a complete package of services to health tourists.
Granting facilities to international patients.
Reflecting the costs of tourism and health care and maintaining a low-cost brand.
Investing, planning and supporting this industry.
Extensive advertisement.

Keywords

Health Tourism; Supply Chain; SWOT

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