DOT to Boost Medical Tourism in PH
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is planning to boost medical tourism in the country by leveraging our world-class doctors and facilities.
IMAGE from Pexels
Stating how the COVID-19 pandemic has made medical travel and wellness tourism more popular, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said our top-notch hospitals and facilities, skilled doctors and nurses, and the Filipino brand of hospitality will help the country become an attractive destination for medical tourism.
According to the most recent report available at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), international spending on medical tourism or health-related personal travel reached $11 billion in 2017 alone, with the United States as the largest destination market, with American citizens spending around $2.3 billion on medical services abroad.
In developing a medical tourism sub-sector, the council said governments should establish smart regulation and recognized certification of medical facilities, visa facilitation policies, among others to attract investment.
DOT’s medical, health and wellness tourism program is currently headed by Director Paulo Benito Tugbang.
Prior to his appointment, Tugbang led the Department of Health’s Medical Travel and Wellness Tourism Program and worked for the Inter-Agency Task Force as its technical lead.
Source: Philippine News Agency
