Facing increasing demand for health care, especially when traveling, hotels and travel agencies have launched attractive programs.

In Singapore, hotels are offering spin (indoor cycling) and combat (military training) classes or boot-camps (short-term, high-intensity workouts) for tourists. For example, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay hotel has a Spin Up Weekends package on Saturday night. Oasia Hotel Downtown offers free yoga, combat fitness, aqua spin and boxing classes.

Some hotels also partner with gyms and other health care providers. This is a move to introduce visitors to "fitcation" experiences (rest combined with exercise).

Mr. Chai Khye Yeien, regional general manager of Oasia, The Clan and Amoy hotels, said these fitness services are important for health-conscious travelers, especially when travel is seen as a healing period to restore physical and mental health.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), the post-pandemic healthcare tourism segment is expected to reach $1.13 trillion globally by 2025. 

It is forecast that the world health tourism market will grow rapidly and strongly after the global tourism industry recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. According to GWI (Global Health Institute), this new model will continue to grow at an average annual rate of 7.5% and by 2022 it could reach $919 billion, accounting for 18% of the world tourism market.

The UN World Tourism Organization forecasts that, by 2030, tourists traveling for the purpose of sightseeing, relaxation and entertainment will account for 54% of the total number of international tourists; about 31% with the purpose of visiting, health and religion; and 15% for work and professional purposes.

Aging populations, the demand for quality of life, tourism, rest, medical treatment, and health care requires quality as well as quantity. 

In addition, after the pandemic, health has become the number one concern of consumers globally, forcing them to change their behavior to match their healthcare goals, including the needs of traveling.

The technology growth in the healthcare sector is driving the growth of the health tourism market. 

Taking advantage of the golden opportunity

According to the Institute of Tourism Development Research of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), Vietnam has potential for healthcare tourism. The long coastline with many beautiful beaches, with coastal roads considered the most pristine on the planet, is convenient for resort tourism.

Vietnam has 400 hot water sources, mainly from 40-80 degrees Celsius, distributed throughout most of the provinces. The country also has an extremely rich and diverse system of medicinal plants. It is a valuable source of raw materials for healing and restoring health.

In the post-Covid-19 period, Vietnam must take advantage of opportunities to promote its advantages to develop healthcare tourism. 

Hanoi and Hoi An have in the past ranked in the Top 10 best destinations for health tourism in Asia. Statistics in 2018 show that about 350,000 foreigners come to Vietnam for medical examination and treatment combined with convalescence and spend $2 billion.

According to the Ministry of Health, every year, about 40,000 Vietnamese go abroad for medical treatment and tourism, which costs approximately $1 billion/year. That said, the domestic market is also a fertile ground for healthcare tourism.

Vietnam with its strategic location, in the heart of Southeast Asia, and political stability, together with more than 3 million overseas Vietnamese, has a unique competitive advantage in health tourism services. To date, however, healthcare tourism is a stub. A number of healthcare tourism business models have taken shape, but are still in the early stages.

In order to be able to fully exploit its strengths as a health tourism center, improve its competitive advantage with countries in the region and in the world, Vietnam needs suitable development orientation and solutions for this potential tourism product, according to VNAT.

According to the Institute for Tourism Development Research, one of the factors that brings success in the development of healthcare tourism in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Singapore is that they pay great attention to the development of transport infrastructure, and facilities for tourism. Meanwhile, this is one of the limitations of Vietnam. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate investment in tourism infrastructure with national socio-economic development programs.

Regarding the issue of human resources, in the coming time, Vietnam's tourism needs to focus on developing tourism human resources with sufficient quantity and quality; develop reasonable quantity in terms of qualifications, skills and expertise; and promote healthcare tourism services to international tourists.

Duy Khanh