Strategic Marketing Development of Hospitals Participating in Medical Tourism: A Case of South Korea

Abstract

This article highlights the strong potential and growing popularity of the Asian medical tourism industry focusing on South Korea and presents an overview of the background of the industry, the current situation, issues of concern, and directions to pursue for the systematic development of the medical tourism industry in that country. It examines the difficulties encountered given that the current medical tourism market in Korea is under constant attention but still at the beginning stages. The study a) examines the recognition and attitudes of hospitals towards medical tourism, b) investigates networking involvement of the medical tourism-related institutions, and c) suggests recommendations for strategic implementation of medical tourism in Korea. The study provides useful strategic analysis for the sustainable development of the medical tourism industry in a country where medical tourism is receiving rapidly growing attention.