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Term Paper

On

Medical Tourism in Nepal

Travel.Com.Pvt.Ltd

Submitted by:

Meera Sharma

Pritisma Satyal

Nikita Gurung

Saileshori Swar

Submitted to:

Pankaj Pradhananga

Course Instructor

Tourism and Hospitality Management

July, 2019
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Introduction to medical-tourism ............................................................................................ 2
1.2 Current scenario of medical-tourism worldwide .............................................................. 3
2. Medical Tourism in Nepal ....................................................................................................... 4
2.1 About Company .................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 Coverage and Benefits .......................................................................................................... 8
3. Prospects and Opportunities of Medical-tourism in Nepal ..................................................... 9
4. Market Segmentation ............................................................................................................. 10
By Treatment Type ................................................................................................................ 10
By Region .............................................................................................................................. 11
5. Marketing Plan ...................................................................................................................... 11
5.1 Product/Service ................................................................................................................... 11
5.2 Place .................................................................................................................................... 13
5.3 Promotion ............................................................................................................................ 13
5.4 People ............................................................................................................................. 16
5.5 Process ............................................................................................................................ 17
6. Marketing Plan ...................................................................................................................... 17
6.1 Our Packages ....................................................................................................................... 18
7. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 20
8. Reference ............................................................................................................................... 22
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1. Introduction

In the current world where the standard of living of the people has increased and the people have

time to travel, the concept of tourism has increased tremendously. According to the United Nations

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism entails the movement of people to countries or

places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. Tourism

represents the greatest mass migration in human history, and it is one of the most significant social,

economic, and cultural phenomena of our times, the key reasons being the socio-economic

progress within our society and the inter-connectedness of the world we live in. Tourism is one of

the world's fastest growing industries as well as the major source of foreign exchange earnings and

employment for many developing countries. Several countries have transformed their economies

by developing their tourism potential. Promotion of tourism would bring many direct and indirect

benefits to the people. Tourism has great capacity to generate large-scale employment and

additional income sources to the skilled and unskilled. Today the concept of traditional tourism

has been changed. Some new areas of the tourism have been emerged like Medical tourism,

Inclusive-Tourism, Adventure Tourism, etc.

Nepal is a country that has a rich diversity of cultural, historical and natural legacies. We are

recognized throughout the world for our majestic Himalayas and as the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

It is for these reasons that it ranked as one of the best tourism destinations in South Asia. In

response to the high demand for professional services in Nepal from the travelers, Travel.com Pvt.

Ltd. has promoted its services to tourists all over the world; epically focusing on South Asia,

Middle-East, South-East Asia, the UK and the USA. There is a high potential for the Medical

Tourism industry to be a foundation for the national economic growth. Our primary
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objective is to make the customers feel comfortable and satisfied. We are committed to supply the

best quality services and to meet all of our customer’s requirements. We run on a strong

coordination of itineraries for individuals and groups. This includes hotel reservations,

transportation for trekking, tours, car rentals, local flights and various other logistical support with

a slogan “Let’s grow together”.

1.1 Introduction to medical-tourism

Medical tourism can be defined as the process of traveling outside the country of residence for the

purpose of receiving medical care. Growth in the popularity of medical tourism has captured the

attention of policy-makers, researchers and the media. Originally, the term referred to the travel of

patients from less-developed countries to developed nations in pursuit of the treatments not

available in their homeland.

Today we are experiencing both qualitative and quantitative shifts in patient mobility, as people

travel from richer to less-developed countries in order to access health services. Such shift is

mostly driven by the relative low-cost of treatments in less developed nations, the availability of

inexpensive flights and increased marketing and online consumer information about the

availability of medical services.

What really puts the word "tourism" in medical tourism concept is that people often stay in the

foreign country after the medical procedure. Travelers can thus take advantage of their visit by

sightseeing, taking day trips or participating in any other traditional tourism activities.
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1.2 Current scenario of medical-tourism worldwide

The global medical tourism market was valued at USD 16,761 million in 2018, and it is expected

to reach USD 27,247.6 million by 2024, while registering a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast

period, 2019-2023. The factors associated with the growth of the market include higher treatment

cost in developed countries, availability of the latest medical technologies, growing compliance

on international quality standards, high quality of service, health insurance portability, and

advertising and marketing of the medical tourism.

The cost of undergoing medical treatment in a developed country is very high. It is estimated that

although the treatments are of reliable quality, the procedures tend to be on the expensive side.

Along with this, the major healthcare products are also quite extravagantly priced. This scenario

places a big burden on the healthcare systems, worldwide, accompanied by the additional rising

costs of litigation during recent times. Healthcare practitioners need to be aware of both the direct

and indirect costs and consider how the implementation of prevention protocols may offer cost

savings in the longer term. People in developed countries cannot afford the huge expenditure

associated with medical treatments. Not all medical bills are covered by insurance companies,

which makes the patients turn to countries abroad. Countries in Asia, the Middle East, and South

America provide high-quality medical services at a much lower rate, as compared to the developed

economies. There are companies that cater to all the medical and non-medical needs of the tourist

during their travel.


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2. Medical Tourism in Nepal

Nepal one of the possible hubs for medical tourism where people of various countries can come

not only for sightseeing, but also for receiving medical treatments. Such a flow of tourism for

sightseeing and medical treatments will capture the attention of policy-makers, researchers and the

media. This will also reverse the traditional process of patients travelling from less-developed

countries to developed nations in pursuit of the treatments not available in their homelands.

Nepal can experience both qualitative and quantitative shifts in patient mobility with state-of-the-

art medical technology, as people will travel from richer countries to access cheaper health services

and also see unique natural beauties of Nepal. Such shift will increase access to affordable medical

services. Nepal has more than 15 dental colleges and hospitals, these institutions, with their

specializations, can offer exceptionally high quality services at competitive rates. Not only dental

services, but Nepal can offer high quality cardiac services, kidney and lung transplants, ophthalmic

services, gastroenterology, and neurological treatments at reasonable costs. Over 20 medical

colleges in operations and more than 10 medical institutions on the pipeline can provide high

quality competitive services in different parts of Nepal. If some of these institutions are re-located

to various popular tourist destinations, Nepal truly can provide world class medical tourism

services.

Outside the Kathmandu Valley, there are many pristine places in the high mountain and hill

regions, where Yoga and Naturopathy, Spiritual Pursuits, Bipassana, and Meditation services have

been popular. If high quality medical facilities are established in these tourist destinations, they

will attract many foreigners. These approaches may help lessen Kathmandu population while

ameliorating environmental hazards and providing jobs to people in the rural areas. Such services

also will bring foreign currencies to Nepal.


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Nepal has been a popular tourist destination. Now, it needs to scale-up the healthcare industry to

accommodate the needs for million tourists. Tourism industry in the past decade has met with

setbacks and disappointments due to political instabilities. Amidst such instabilities, promoting

medical tourism could be a serious challenge. However, through integrated approaches, high class

medical tourism can be promoted. Like Dubai that collaborates with Harvard University and the

Mayo Clinic to ensure high class medical services, Nepal can utilize the expertise of various

medical institutions to establish centers for medical excellence in areas such as cardiology and

oncology and others.

2.1 About Company

A hike in countryside or a trek up a mountain. A wildlife safari or a cultural tour. Nepal and

neighboring countries of India, Bhutan and Tibet have so much to offer the discerning traveler that

we, at Travel.com specialize in making you experience it all like a local, not a tourist.We provide

personalized and efficient services, with an experienced team of professionals who have been

serving the industry for decades and are adept at handling last-minute service requests or queries.

We run on a strong coordination of itineraries for individuals or groups, including hotel

reservations, transport, trekking, tours, car rentals, local flights, logistical support activities and

any other specific travel-related requirements.

All our bespoke experiences are customized to cater to your interests and comfort, right from

airport arrivals to delightful departures and everything in between, attending to every little detail

along the way for a memorable experience.


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With flexible services and creative itineraries, we take pride in our steady and growing base of

clients from the Europe, South Korea, China, Japan, Srilanka, Bhutan, US and India among other

countries whose trust has helped build our reputation.

Get ready to be lured by majestic ranges of mountains, discover hills, mountains, valleys, wildlife,

marvel at ancient civilization and soak it all in with the local tips from Travel.com experts who

work round the clock to ensure your holiday is exceptional in every way!

Our Mission: Providing Services Beyond Expectations We are a team who believes in creating

unique travel experiences that are socially responsible and environment-friendly while striving to

exceed expectations and excellent medical services for the enhancement of medical tourism in

Nepal.

Our Vision: Evolve though travel. We care to actively include current technologies to cater to

contemporary traveling cultures around the world. This way, we are accessible to all markets and

target audiences, diversifying and evolving in experiences through travel.

Our Team: Comprehending the responsibility on the shoulders of each team member at

Travel.com, we strive to be one of the most competitive companies in the travel & tourism

industry, while paying significant attention towards efficiency in operations and providing reliable

service to customers. Our team is at your service to cater to your needs by providing the highest

standards of quality services fused with professionalism and dedication.


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2.2 Coverage and Benefits

Some of the features the plans may include are:

 Trip cancellation: The medical tourism health insurance plan provides coverage for non-

refundable travel and pre-paid medical expenses in the event the scheduled trip needs to be

canceled prior to the departure date.

 Trip Delay /Trip Interruption: In the event the medical treatment is interrupted or there

is delay for medical tour packages, any non-refundable cost including travel

accommodations, air-fare etc might be covered under the plan.

 Medical Coverage Provides coverage for acute illness/injury which may arise while away

from the home country on a medical tour.

 Medical Evacuation Coverage: Worldwide emergency medical evacuation and

repatriation benefit may be provided for any necessary medical condition.

 Travel Companion Coverage: Coverage for travel companions can be included to provide

travel medical benefits to those who may be accompanying the insured while traveling for

a medical procedure.

 Liability Coverage Designed especially for employers and facilitators to cover possible

liability resulting from the implementation of a medical tourism benefit or as an outcome

of coordination of medical tourism arrangements.

 Accidental Death & Dismemberment: In case of accidental death and dismemberment

benefits may be included in the coverage under Medical Tourism.


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3. Prospects and Opportunities of Medical-tourism in Nepal

Medical tourism alternately called health tourism, medical travel, health travel or medical value

travel is the process of people travelling to another country for the purpose of obtaining medical

treatment. Nepal is attracting hordes of eye patients from various neighboring states of India for

eye examination and eye surgery. The factors that have led to the increasing popularity of eye care

for Indian patients are affordability, less waiting time for treatment, ease of travel to Nepal and

good standards of treatment. However, medical tourism for eye care was quite different three

decades ago. People from Nepal had to go to Sitapur (India) for eye treatment and cataract surgery.

However, the good network of eye hospitals and eye care centres in Nepal have started to deliver

affordable and quality eye care services in Nepal. Many Indian patients have started to flock to

this country for eye treatment. More than 200,000 Indian patients visit Nepal for eye surgery, and

more than 1.5 million for eye treatment every year. Although medical tourism in Nepal has not

been developed as a national industry and there is no government policy to promote medical

tourism in Nepal, medical tourism in eye care can be cited as a model for other medical fields as

well. The government of Nepal should take advantage of geographic and cultural proximity

between Nepal and India and promote Medical Tourism in Nepal in other medical sectors like

ENT, Heart Surgery, Ayurveda, etc. in the future. Nepal can be developed as a hub for medical

tourists and economical treatment destination especially from neighboring states of India. Long

term policy and good planning is necessary to promote medical tourism in Nepal. Policy makers

in Nepal are faced with a dilemma: whether to invest limited resources in public health care

systems or in medical tourism development. The government of Nepal can promote certain

medical fields for medical tourism and find a good balance between promoting medical tourism

and developing the public health care system. Medical tourism in Nepal can become a new and
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emerging business. Nepal has already shown its comparative advantage in the field of eye care.

Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) 2010 has identified health services as one of the 19

sectors having export potential. A good public private partnership policy, revision of health-related

laws, and easing entry of foreign medical practitioners to Nepal could be some steps for the

promotion of medical tourism in Nepal.

4. Market Segmentation

Medical Tourism Key Market Segments:

By Treatment Type

 Dental Treatment

 Cosmetic Treatment

 Cardiovascular Treatment

 Orthopedic Treatment

 Neurological Treatment

 Cancer Treatment

 Fertility Treatment

 Other Treatments
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By Region

Asia-Pacific

 India

 China

 Indonesia

 Singapore

 Malaysia

 Thailand

 South Korea

 Taiwan

 Rest of Asia-Pacific

5. Marketing Plan

5.1 Product/Service

Planning your medical travel to Nepal has many advantages as compared to other. Some of the

reasons why you should choose Travel.com to plan your medical travel to Nepal:

 Network of highly qualified doctors, surgeons and paramedical staff

 Empathetic and sensitive staff

 Internationally accredited hospitals

 Lower cost of quality medical treatment

 Availability of budget quality accommodation and organic food

 All types of treatment under one roof


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 Complete hand-holding from first day of treatment until full recovery

 Many leisure destination options

 It will be fast recovery! treatment in natural environment

 World’s major’s Airlines connectivity

Our Services in Medical Tourism

1. Customize Treatment Packages

2. Assistance for Medical Visa Letter

3. 24*7 Support & Guidance

4. Swift Doctor Appointments

5. Smooth In-Patient Admissions

6. Precise Money Exchange

7. Safe Accommodation as per your Budget

8. Provision for local SIM cards

9. Perfect Interpreters

10. Guidance for End-to-End Transportation

11. Appeasing tourist packages

12. Post Treatment Follow-ups


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5.2 Place

Several foreign and domestic tourist patients prefer Kathmandu and other cities for taking medical

treatment along with tourism. Nowadays, medical tourism in Nepal is considered to be holding

immense potential. Due to the availability of good infrastructure and relatively cheaper (Compared

to International Treatment) medical treatment, there is a strong growth rate and rapid expansion in

this sector, especially driven by foreign patients. Quality medical expertise and cost-effectiveness

have made Nepal into the choice of patients.

5.3 Promotion

Promotion is the core of any marketing strategy. This is the only way to inform customers about

the products and services and let them know how our products and services meet their needs. Since

most medical tourism businesses have small marketing budgets, this section will focus on the least

expensive ways to promote and advertise our medical tourism enterprise.

1. Word-of-mouth advertising

Word-of-mouth advertising is the least expensive and, perhaps, the most effective form of

promotion. Estimates suggest that a satisfied customer will “advertise” the services by

telling nine to twelve other people about his or her experience. This is a wonderful reward

for providing quality service. On the other hand, word-of-mouth communication can work

against our business if we are not providing quality service. In order to foster positive word-

of-mouth advertising, we should strive to provide good service all of the time. To

encourage this, we will have a grand opening which will comprise of a large event and we

will invite influential people which will create a buzz and hence get us more visibility.

2. Social media advertising


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Today social media has become a prominent and most effective platform to promote any

kind of business. Since social media such as Facebook, Instagram, fTrip advisor, etc. have

huge user base, promoting medical tourism business there can be very effective and can

reach wide number of enthusiasts at a same time. Creating a page and posting photos and

videos of activities, farms and people having fun in farm can communicate about our

packages very effectively. By allowing visitors to share their experience during their stay

will also act as a positive publicity for the organization and will also motivate other

travelers to visit the place. This will also help to connect the organization with both

domestic and foreign tourists with ease and convenience from a single medium.

3. Printed materials

Printed materials can provide tangible evidence of the products and services of agro-

tourism business. These printed materials will help to promote the image of our medical

tourism business with some tangible cues. We will provide these at the airport for the

international tourists to be aware of. We will also be providing these to our friends, family

who stay abroad and encourage them to pass them over to their friends and families. These

printed materials will also be provided to the foreign affiliates like embassies, expat groups

etc.

4. Community network

It is possible to work with local schools and other community groups to promote medical

tourism programs and distribute pamphlets and promote medical tourism. For instance, we

will have multiple programs in schools and colleges all over Nepal where we will be

educating them on tea production and we will also be providing them with samples of our

product.
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5. Alliance with tour operators

Since tour operators’ have the record of existing and prospect tourists, making an alliance

with them will help to attract and increase the number of tourist in our organization.

Alliance with tour operators can be made by direct communication with one or several tour

operators with the aim of increasing more tourists. Here the participants can mutually

benefit the revenue earned. Our Allies will be:

 Destination Nepal Tours and Travels

 Nepal Holiday Makers Tours and Travels

 Friendship Nepal Tours and Travels

 Ace Travels

6. Signs and billboards on Highways

One way to promote medical tourism is through placement of billboards and signs near

roadsides and in highway to the final destination. Attractive billboards and sighs in the

highway will draw the attention of the tourists and people and help them know about the

presence of our organization near the place. This kind of tools will be effective as it will

help in increasing brand awareness about our organization and may increase the number of

tourists.

7. Organizing festivals

Another way of promoting medical tourism is by organizing festivals and programs which

showcase the product of medical tourism and will draw attention of people towards the

place. We can organize the tea tasting programs. The festivals can also sell different

homemade organic products such as pickles, vegetables. These types of festivals may also
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attract media and do publicity of the place. Along with organizing, we will also be a part

of other festivals and activities like Farmer’s market.

5.4 People

Customer

Customers for our business are broadly divided into two categories:

Domestic Tourists

Domestic tourism here refers to the tourists from all over Nepal. These include the Nepalese who

want to get away from their local environment and try out new activities and places. People form

metropolitan areas are now very interested to experience different lifestyle and enjoy in peaceful

environment for some time. Domestic tourist includes college’s students who are travelling for

educational purpose or family and individual who travel for recreational and refreshment purpose.

Larger portion revenue can be earned from domestic tourist as they are familiar with the culture

and will be easy to communicate with them. If the tourists like the place, chances of repeat visit

are high in case of domestic tourists.

International Tourists

Tourists from different part of the world are enthusiastic to know and learn about different

lifestyles found in different places. Medical tourism can be a major attraction where foreign

tourists can enjoy the nature in itself. Farm stay, working in the farm, organic farming, nursery

maintenance can provide a different experience to the tourists. International Tourists also

contribute for higher revenue earning for the organization. So, it’s very necessary to attract

international tourists in our organization alongside the domestic customers.


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5.5 Process

The process to be a part of our medical product can be from different methods. Customers can

directly come to our head office located at Kathmandu and book their stay. They can also contact

with us through phone calls, SMS, Facebook or from our website. Another way would be through

our travel partners who will inform us about the bookings. Once they have made reservation, they

can either use their own transportation or we will arrange vehicle for them to reach here. They can

choose the package which suits them for their stay.

All payments have to be made in advance. For payment, our organization will accept card, cash as

well as online payment.

6. Marketing Plan

Medical Tourism might encounter several hurdles during their period of treatment. Numbers of

people are now looking for a better and cheaper destination for their treatment. The same treatment

which cost the US $ 500 in UK or USA will cost the US $ 100 in Nepal. One can visit the country

and also make themselves fit with the help of treatment. Foreigners can’t afford the heavy debt in

the name of treatment so they are nowadays in search of the best medical tourism destination.

People are now looking towards the underdeveloped country like Nepal, India, Bangladesh and

some African country for their health treatment.

We help you to book the appointment and schedule a meeting with reputed doctors of Nepal.

Should there be anything meantime, kindly notify us by email or contacting us directly in our cell

number.
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6.1 Our Packages

Comfort – $1500

This package includes:

 14 nights self-catering accommodation within 20km radius of treatment venue.

 All transfers from accommodation to clinic/ hospital for medical appointments.

 Self-catering accommodation

 Two shopping trips 1/2 day each.

 One bus ticket valid for 2 consecutive days sightseeing in Kathmandu with a drop and

collect on completion of tour.

 Mobile number for clinic staff to contact you during your stay with results.

Luxury – $3500

This package includes:

 14 nights self-catering accommodation within 20km radius from treatment venue.

 Luxury flat or hotel.

 Airport transfers in a private vehicle.

 All transfers from accommodation to clinic/ hospital for medical appointments.

 Self-catering or B&B accommodation.

 2 shopping trips 1/2 day each.

 One bus ticket valid for 2 consecutive days sightseeing around Kathmandu with a drop and

collect on completion of the tour.

 Mobile number for clinic staff to contact you during your stay with results.
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Premium -$8000

This package includes:

 14 nights’ luxury self-catering or B&B accommodation within 20km radius from treatment

venue.

 Luxury flat or hotel with views.

 Airport transfers in a private vehicle.

 All transfers from accommodation to clinic/hospital for medical appointments.

 Self-catering or B&B accommodation.

 2 shopping trips 1/2 day each.

 One bus ticket valid for 2 consecutive days sightseeing around Kathmandu with a drop and

collect on completion of the tour.

 Mobile number for clinic staff to contact you during your stay with results.

 Private wine tour included.

 Pamper day at Spa included.

 Personal guide available for duration of your stay. (Any tours can be added to this package

as well as a One Day Recovery benefit in accommodation with a qualified nurse. Please

visit Tours for more options.)


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7. Conclusion

Medical tourism is the idea of going far and wide for better restorative treatment.

The globalization of the healthy mind segment and the massive interest for low-cost excellent

treatment as of late has grabbed the eye of many creating nations that have the adequate resources

and potential to meet these requests.

The profitability and the lucrative idea of the medicinal tourism business have now put this

exchange. High on the motivation of both the Nepal government and the private human services

suppliers. Today, medical tourism has turned into an ordinary practice countless around the globe

thanks to its effectiveness and good results.

 Improves Local economy

Investment in medical tourism infrastructure is furthermore considered to generate demand

for goods and services in allied sectors. Transport, retail, commercial care, and hospitality

sectors can also benefit from spending by medical tourists and their companions,

generating medical- and non-medical jobs and spurring the growth not just of large but also

small and medium enterprises.

 It is Less Expensive

This has been historical, the driving factor for people looking for alternatives to costly

treatments at home. The scenarios many of us are familiar with are people who don’t have

insurance at all who are forced to seek life-saving procedures in foreign countries to survive

and not go bankrupt. While these are definitely still occurring, there are more and more

American’s receiving complex procedures done by highly trained healthcare professionals

in countries with a reputable medical infrastructure. Nearly half a million people from
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around the world travel to Nepal for medical treatment every year and that number grows

each year. Nepal is very keen at joining forces with movement offices and in gatherings to

give tempting five-star administration to patients considering treatment there.

 Attention to Customer Service

There seems to be a greater importance placed on the patient experience in overseas

healthcare facilities. This may be because they realize there are obstacles to overcome

when making a decision on traveling for healthcare procedures and an exceptional

experience is imperative. In the U.S., for a variety of reasons, the healthcare consumer has

fallen out of focus for many healthcare systems because they aren’t the pay or, the

insurance company is. With self-pay healthcare facilities, there is an understanding that the

patient has options so they need to put in some effort to get their business. When you walk

into Health City, for example, you are greeted almost immediately by reception staff, then

accompanied by a concierge, to your appointment.

 Better Recovery on Vacation

Having the most astounding mountains on the planet Earth, Nepal is a really appealing

hotspot goal for mountain climbers and individuals looking for amazing experiences

Nepali food is really various and rich of flavor, and with the numerous celebration in the

country is easy to experience all the food taste. Mountaineering and different sorts of

enterprise tourism and ecotourism are critical attractions for guests.


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8. Reference

Mordor Intelligence, MEDICAL TOURISM MARKET - GROWTH, TRENDS, AND

FORECAST (2019 - 2024)

Promoting medical tourism in Nepal by Keshav Bhattarai

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