Abstract
Numerous Caribbean countries have discussed plans for developing medical tourism activities as a means of tourism diversification and economic development. These plans have been encouraged and shaped by outside agencies whose influence might cause a race-to-the-bottom environment between countries competing for the same niche of tourists. This paper provides a call for cooperation between local health officials in the Caribbean region to coordinate plans for the development of a medical tourism industry that enhances regional access to specialized healthcare and facilitates the movement of patients and healthcare resources throughout the region to enhance health equity and health outcomes in the Caribbean.
Highlights
Medical tourism, the movement of individuals across national borders with the intention of privately purchasing medical procedures, has become a topic of increasing discussion amongst policy-makers in the Caribbean
Caribbean countries’ interest in medical tourism appears to be primarily motivated by the hope that medical tourism can provide a diversification that will enhance their brand as a destination in a region of intense competition for tourism dollars [2, 4]. This seeming race to develop a medical tourism sector has created competition between Caribbean islands for their share of finite foreign investment opportunities [5, 6]. We believe this competition should be a matter of concern as it may impact the ability of countries to ensure their hopes for medical tourism are realized
Current interest in and discussion of medical tourism follows a similar trajectory to past tourism policies and plans in the Caribbean, with nations seeking to develop the industry to increase their competitive edge in attracting visitors [1]
Summary
The movement of individuals across national borders with the intention of privately purchasing medical procedures, has become a topic of increasing discussion amongst policy-makers in the Caribbean. While Lewis’ economic theory states that attempts to increase tourism flows on a regional instead of a national basis could provide beneficial foreign exchange, current competitive frameworks for tourism activities result in increased flows of tourists to one country at the expense of another [11].
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