Cebu gains ground as light med tourism destination

CEBU, Philippines - Realizing that Cebu has yet to offer the high-caliber medical services to maximize its potential in attracting medical tourists across the world, the province is positioning to promote itself as “Light Medical Tourism Destination,” in the Philippines.

Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC) vice chairperson Jenny Franco said Cebu has to work on its advantage as it slowly gains popularity in terms of light medical services such as dental, cosmetics, including wellness and leisure.              

Franco said that Cebu is now the top pick destination for light procedures in medical services, which include executive check up, cosmetic treatment and surgery, dental, combined with leisure and wellness activities.

This is what Cebu is banking on, in order to maximize its inviting environment for medical tourists, Franco said.

By January next year, CHWC is going to go full-blast in its campaign to promote Cebu as “Light Medical Tourism Destination.”

Stakeholders, through the CHWC is now formulating a unified packages for medical tourists who seek minor medical services, at the same time wanting to enjoy and have “fun” while on medical vacation in Cebu.

“We already have packages as an association, but we are enhancing it and add more activities,” said Franco adding that a website will also be set up to offer these packages online.

Aside from the huge “balikbayan” market, Cebu is gaining popularity to medical tourism market from Singapore, Bahrain, Australia, United States, and Europe.

In the US for instance, Filipino-Americans are the major clients for dental services in Cebu, as well as the American travelers, because most of them do not have dental insurance. Besides, dental services in the US costs more compared to the rates offered here.

“The reason why we excel in attracting these light medical tourists, because we mix our offerings with holiday and vacation packages. Cebu, after all is a holiday destination,” Franco said.

Part of the packages is promoting Yoga and meditation, art lessons, she added.

While, a group of Cebuano artists called “Pusod” is now part of the CHWC, Franco said medical tourists are also given options to go to museums where ample displays of Cebuano artists creations are showcased.

Franco said medical tourists are long-staying guests, who usually stay more than one-week, as long as three weeks. Australians, on the other hand, stay longer, some stay here for a long as one month or more.

Franco, who also owns a travel agency –Travel Vision Inc. and president of the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas-Cebu), said that last client she had a couple from Bahrain spent at least US$10,000 per person in their three-week stay in Cebu.

She said if stakeholders are just united and packages are promoted well abroad, Cebu could take off as the premier “Light Medical Tourism” in the world.

Earlier, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines president Julian Payne, urged stakeholders in the health and wellness sector in Cebu to do more in terms of providing packages, and attractive services.

Dental, cosmetics, and eye care are the most in-demand services by foreigners, especially in Canada, these should be more highlighted by the players here, said CanCham president Julian Payne.

Although the Cebu Health and Wellness Council (CHWC) already announced the formulation of standard rates among medical practitioners to attract clients from other countries, Payne said this should be complemented with aggressive promotion abroad.

The dental service for instance costs 10 times more in Canada, compared to the rates offered here. Besides, Cebu has its natural charm that easily captivates the foreign medical tourists, provided that proper promotion is being done, complemented with attractive packages.

While distance is also one of the concerns of medical tourists with 14-hour flight from Canada to the Philippines, attractive offer may convince the multi-million-dollar medical tourism market in the northern part of America, he said.

Getting accreditation from Canadian medical institutions can also help the players to lure medical tourists in Cebu, Payne said. (FREEMAN)