| 摘要: | 根據世界前十大行銷研究公司 Synovate 於2005年特別報導指出，計有100,000 個國際醫療觀光人次年年訪問馬來西亞，在亞洲的泰國、馬來西亞、新加坡、約旦和印度這些醫療觀光目的地，每年成功吸引約130萬個醫療觀光旅客，花費在治療項目總計約美金10億元，醫療觀光花費每年約增長20%，造就醫療觀光的發展。
目前在國內之醫療院所及旅行社以健康旅遊為號召，把醫療體系加入觀光產業，以吸引追求健康休閒為目的之觀光客來台醫療觀光，在台灣仍是剛萌芽的旅遊產品，同時，政府亦視該項產品為可以突破旅客來台，單次到訪瓶頸之新興產品之ㄧ。
本研究屬探索性研究，使用質性研究作為研究方法。以市場分析、技術分析、財務分析、效益及風險分析等四個面向，分別成立四項訪談主題，並以透過深度訪談法方式提供與研究主題相關的質化資料，建立分析資料與資料評估架構，從而對研究主題研提結論與建議。
本研究結果發現，醫療觀光為使旅客健康、美麗，以及旅遊休閒之新興產業，具有潛力之市場。台灣若能提昇旅遊業的軟、硬體建設、管理，配合醫療技術之引進，由醫療院所與旅行社合作，建立正常營運與風險管理，發展台灣具有特色之醫療觀光產品，台灣將能趕上醫療觀光之熱潮，成為國際旅客之海外醫療中心。
According to a 2005 report by leading market researcher Synovate, around 100,000 international travelers make medical tourism visits to Malaysia each year. An-other source estimates that about 1.3 million medical tourists visit Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Jordan and India annually, spending a combined US$1 billion on medical treatments during their stays. In each of these nations, medical travel spending is grow-ing at over 20% per year, underscoring the high growth potential of this market.
In Taiwan, hospitals, clinics and travel agencies are currently integrating medical and tourism resources to attract medical tourists traveling for health and leisure reasons. Medical tourism is still a budding travel product in Taiwan, however the government sees in this market the potential to overcome the preponderance of single-visit only travel to Taiwan.
This study is exploratory in nature and adopts a qualitative research approach. Qualitative data for the study was compiled through in-depth interviews covering the four topic areas of market analysis, technical analysis, financial analysis, and bene-fit-risk analysis. A framework was established to analyze and assess the data and pro-vide a basis for the study’s conclusions and proposals.
This study found that medical tourism is an emerging and high-potential industry that integrates health, beauty and leisure travel. It further concludes that Taiwan is posi-tioned to tap into the rising medical tourism market and become an overseas medical center for international travelers. A successful strategy for developing in this market would involve the upgrading of the services, facilities, and management of the domestic travel industry, the integration of the tourism industry with domestic medical resources through cooperation among hospitals, clinics and travel agencies, the establishment of normal operations and risk management capability, and the development of medical tourism products unique to Taiwan. |
