Asia's cultural diversity, perfect beaches and fabulous cuisines mixed with a pinch of Oriental mysticism have long drawn tourists from around the world. Recently, many of the region's top tourist destinations have added a new ingredient into the mix: health tourism.

"People have been traveling to faraway places in the quest for better health for millenniums, yet Asia's top tourist destinations are just rediscovering the potential of health tourism," said Raymond Yeung, an assistant research professor in Health Economics and Policy with the University of Hong Kong.

Medical tourism, or more broadly, health tourism, refers to the increasing tendency among people living where medical services are either very expensive or not available to travel overseas in search of more affordable health options, often packaged with tourist attractions.

The development is being touted as the "next big thing" in the travel industry, but in reality, people have been traveling to far-off lands to improve their health for centuries.

As far back as 3,000 BC, people with eye problems made pilgrimage to Tell Brak, Syria, where healing deities were said to perform miracles. Ancient Roman spas that were believed to cure an endless list of ailments still offer hope and relief to bathers today.

The World Tourism Organization includes the following in its definition of medical tourism: medical care, sickness and well-being, rehabilitation and recuperation.

Health tourism covers the whole spectrum of services that promote physical well-being. They range from beautiful holiday packages bundled with everything from spas to cosmetic treatments to cardiovascular surgery, and from diagnostic services to rehabilitative Chinese herbal treatments.

However, experts say not all medical services are exportable. In fact, patients are advised not to travel if they have a fever or symptoms of upper respiratory tract illnesses.

In countries like Malaysia and Thailand, medical tourism is built upon the proposition that foreign patients are able to enjoy a combination of sunshine and health promotion.

Hong Kong's health care advantages, combined with hospitality, seamless and integrated services, access to telecom and Internet services, tourist attractions, etc, provide a very tempting package, said Yeung.

"Medical tourists" will not only benefit the health sector. As they will usually be travelling with a companion, and most likely have a sizable disposable income, their shopping, dining and sightseeing excursions will benefit the whole economy, Yeung said.

Starting at the end of February, Hong Kong's Hong Thai Travel, in co-operation with Quality HealthCare, began offering health care for the tourists from the Chinese mainland, who are allowed to visit Hong Kong under the individual travellers scheme.

"We focus on offering such services to Mainlanders because we realize a lot of them are very interested in check-ups and other health care services available in Hong Kong," said Julie Chow, at Quality HealthCare.

(China Daily April 10, 2004)