An expanded marketing mix perspective on medical tourism

Abstract

Medical tourism is a mobility of people traveling from one place to another for medical treatment. Healthcare organizations want to determine the wishes and expectations of medical tourists and produce products accordingly. The most important issue here is how to achieve this. Moreover, what are the demands and expectations of consumers and how they change in constantly changing environmental conditions. Marketing activities carried out in this context have an important role in the success of organizations. Since medical tourism marketing is a branch of the service sector, it also has characteristics related to the marketing of services. The aim of this study is to find an answer to the question of how the extended marketing mix elements bring a perspective to medical tourism. In this context, the medical tourism literature has been examined through a comprehensive review method. In this study, "Product", "Price" and "People" are considered as critical elements in medical tourism marketing strategies. It is important to address the concept of medical tourism with the elements of the extended marketing mix in this way in order to understand all elements in the best way. In this way, the application of the 7Ps can lead to strategic marketing insights for both healthcare providers and national healthcare services.