http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Medical-Tourism-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved. Thu, 2 Sep 2010 22:32:43 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/Casinos-Give-a-Thrust-to-Tourism-in-Singapore-73347-1.htm Casinos in Singapore are a major attraction to tourists and analysis has revealed that the number of arrivals in a single month has exceeded the one million mark in July. Six months after opening its first casino in February, followed by the second in April, Singapore is already counting its winnings despite lingering concern about gambling-linked social problems among the local population. "Let there be no mistake about it, the legalisation of casino gaming in Singapore was always intended ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Casinos-Give-a-Thrust-to-Tourism-in-Singapore-73347-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Superbug-Does-Not-Affect-Medical-Tourism-Numbers-72806-1.htm The number of patients who flock to India to get treatment continues to rise even after a report published in a leading British medical journal warned of patients who travel to the country getting infected with a possible "superbug". Last week's report in The Lancet has got its fair share of criticism from a number of leading medical experts in India who claim that such an infection is being found in patients who have never travelled to the country. There were fears that the report would drastically ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Superbug-Does-Not-Affect-Medical-Tourism-Numbers-72806-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-Spreading-Superbugs-Worldwide-72546-1.htm Plastic surgery patients have carried a new class of superbugs resistant to almost all antibiotics from South Asia to Britain and they could spread worldwide, researchers reported Wednesday. Many hospital infections that were already difficult to treat have become even more impervious to drugs thanks to a recently discovered gene that can jump across different species of bacteria. This so-called NDM-1 gene was first identified last year by Cardiff University's Timothy Walsh in two types ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-Spreading-Superbugs-Worldwide-72546-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Greek-Tourism-Buckles-Under-Pressure-of-Strikes-and-Fuel-Shortage-72214-1.htm Disaster has struck Greece's crucial tourism industry at the peak of a summer season badly needed by its recession-hit economy with a national fuel shortage compounding weeks of on-off work unrest. A strike wave against austerity policies, a violent May protest in which three people died in a firebombed bank and unionist action targeting cruise ships and flights have made for a calamitous season, operators say. And additional disruption caused to tens of thousands of travellers by the fuel ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Greek-Tourism-Buckles-Under-Pressure-of-Strikes-and-Fuel-Shortage-72214-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Now-Monsoon-Tourism-Catches-the-Imagination-of-People-72200-1.htm After medical tourism, monsoon tourism has caught on among people. It is not uncommon to see corporate houses sponsoring work-cum-pleasure sessions in Kerala to allow employees to get refreshed and rejuvenated. So what does monsoon tourism involve? This involves visiting Kerala during the month of Karkitaka (mid-July to mid-August). It is thought that the body's immunity is at its lowest during this time, thus making it amenable to all sorts of healing. The main therapy is food, which involves ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Now-Monsoon-Tourism-Catches-the-Imagination-of-People-72200-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Gay-Tourism-Picks-Up-in-Conservative-Mexico-City-71948-1.htm Mexico City's gay community is gradually turning the capital into a relative oasis in a staunch Catholic country reknowned for its conservatism and machismo. The authorities in the Mexican capital are now seeking to attract gay tourism, even though there is still widespread discrimination against them. The city is well placed "to become the first gay friendly destination in Latin America," said tourism secretary, Alejandro Rojas. In March, the urban sprawl of some 20 million people celebrated ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Gay-Tourism-Picks-Up-in-Conservative-Mexico-City-71948-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Football-Fans-From-South-America-Boost-South-African-Tourism-70718-1.htm South American football fans wrapped in winter wear are streaming into South Africa to add a dash of Latin colour to the first football World Cup on African soil. While five-time winners Brazil and Diego Maradona's Argentina were expected to put up a strong show, surprise packages Paraguay and Uruguay have ensured four South American teams are now in the quarter-finals which begin Friday. South Americans may not have the same spending power as fans of the United States, England and Japan, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Football-Fans-From-South-America-Boost-South-African-Tourism-70718-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Thai-Tourism-Plans-Revival-After-Recent-Violence-69382-1.htm The Thai capital has been almost scrubbed clean, but it will take awhile before images of two months of deadly anti-government street protests disappear from the minds of potential visitors. Thailand's lucrative tourism industry has been gutted by last week's scenes, televised worldwide, of Bangkok reduced to a battle zone in an army crackdown on a "Red Shirt" encampment in the city's ritzy commercial district. Thailand's National Economic and Social Development board said Monday the Bangkok ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Thai-Tourism-Plans-Revival-After-Recent-Violence-69382-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/There-Could-be-Future-Gains-for-SAfrica-Tourism-from-World-Cup-Publicity-68833-1.htm Even though bookings for the World Cup are not up to the mark, South Africa's tourism industry could benefit from the publicity around the sporting event. "At the start, we thought that 450,000 people will come, then 375,000 and even 250,000 people," said Thandiwe January-McLean, head of the country's tourism board, on the sidelines of the region's biggest industry conference, which wraps up Tuesday. But what's more important, she said, are the 26 billion viewers around the world who will ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/There-Could-be-Future-Gains-for-SAfrica-Tourism-from-World-Cup-Publicity-68833-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Aid-to-Tourism-Industry-for-Volcano-Crisis-Offered-in-Iceland-68418-1.htm Around 300 million kronur (1.8 million euros, 2.3 million dollars) in aid to the country's tourism industry will be provided by Iceland's government. The tourism industry is bracing for mass cancellations due to an ongoing volcano eruption. "The government has decided to provide up to 300 million kronur to assist the tourism industry in Iceland after the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajokull," finance ministry spokesman Huginn Thorsteinsson told AFP. "Now the people in the tourism industry ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Aid-to-Tourism-Industry-for-Volcano-Crisis-Offered-in-Iceland-68418-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Singapore-Hopes-for-Tourism-Boost-With-Second-Casino-68227-1.htm As a post-recession tourism boost and as a means to raising its profile as a playground for the world's high-rollers, city-state Singapore has thrown open the doors of its second casino. The 5.5 billion US dollar Marina Bay Sands, built by US gaming giant Las Vegas Sands, opened at the locally auspicious time of 3:18 pm (0718 GMT). The number eight sounds like the word for prosperity in Chinese. It is Las Vegas Sands' latest big-time bet on the future of Asia's gaming industry and is its first casino in Asia outside Macau....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Singapore-Hopes-for-Tourism-Boost-With-Second-Casino-68227-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Volcano-Eruption-Spurs-Tourism-Boom-In-Iceland-66934-1.htm With lava still gushing Friday, a small Icelandic volcano that initially sent hundreds fleeing from their homes is turning into a boon for the island nation's tourism industry, as visitors flock to catch a glimpse of the eruption. "I hope the eruption continues for a while because it is very good for business," said Ingi Thor Jakobsson, the manager of the Hotel Ranga located near the Eyjafjallajokull glacier where the Fimmvorduhals volcano erupted. "We have the eruption just next door and the view is just amazing....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Volcano-Eruption-Spurs-Tourism-Boom-In-Iceland-66934-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Blood-splattering-Protests-Wreck-Thai-Tourism-66635-1.htm Better known for its white sands and smiles, Thai tourism is taking a battering as the latest gruesome protests in Bangkok have frightened off visitors to the kingdom. Would-be tourists considering massage, temples and spicy food in the Thai capital this week may have been put off by scenes, televised worldwide, of red-clad protesters throwing bottles of their own blood at government offices. The so-called Red Shirts, supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, are trying to force snap elections....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Blood-splattering-Protests-Wreck-Thai-Tourism-66635-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Hyderabad-Hot-Destination-for-Medical-Tourism-66426-1.htm Chief Minister K Rosaiah has said that Hyderabad is fast becoming a major health tourism center as many foreign patients are opting to get treated here. "Hyderabad has become one of the major health tourism hubs in India as a number of hospitals are providing services at affordable costs. Hundreds of foreigners are showing interest to obtain better health care treatment in Hyderabad hospitals which employ the latest technology and have modern facilities,'' the CM revealed. He was speaking on ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Hyderabad-Hot-Destination-for-Medical-Tourism-66426-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Finds-Why-Genealogical-Tourism-is-Popular-66016-1.htm A University of Illinois travel expert has said that genealogical tourism is redefining leisure travel market. U. of I. recreation, sport and tourism professor Carla Santos explains: "Genealogical tourism provides an irreplaceable dimension of material reality that's missing from our postmodern society." According to co-author and U. of I. graduate student Grace Yan, going back to the old church where one's great grandparents used to worship in rural Ireland, or buying a loaf of bread from ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Study-Finds-Why-Genealogical-Tourism-is-Popular-66016-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Taiwan-Looks-to-China-for-Aesthetic-Medical-Tourism-Boom-63772-1.htm Beijing entrepreneur Li Jinxun's first trip to Taiwan was a life-changing experience, but not because of the sightseeing. The 46-year-old took advantage of a short trip to the island last month to undergo minor cosmetic surgery at a clinic in Kaohsiung city, something he said had made him feel younger and better looking. "I'm very satisfied. I feel better already," he told AFP. Li, who runs a construction firm, is among a new wave of affluent Chinese eager to fit some nips and tucks ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Taiwan-Looks-to-China-for-Aesthetic-Medical-Tourism-Boom-63772-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Korea-Aims-to-Boost-Medical-Tourism-Market-63723-1.htm It built its economy on ships, steel and semiconductors but now South Korea is pushing a new growth engine, a major share of the world's booming medical tourism market. The government's goal is one million foreign patients a year by 2020 and hospitals have launched aggressive marketing campaigns since they were allowed to advertise for foreign patients under a law that took effect last year. "Today demand for medical services is higher than ever and medical tourism is growing rapidly," Vice ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Korea-Aims-to-Boost-Medical-Tourism-Market-63723-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/World-Tourism-On-The-Recovery-Road-60747-1.htm The global tourism sector will post a "moderate recovery" in 2010 following a slump this year due to the recession, with Asia set for the strongest rebound, the UN World Tourism Organisation said Tuesday. "International tourist arrivals are likely to witness a moderate recovery next year, with growth at one to three percent," the Madrid-based body said in its latest bulletin. "Asia will show the strongest rebound, while Europe and the Americas will probably take longer to recover." It ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/World-Tourism-On-The-Recovery-Road-60747-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Port-To-Be-Sited-In-Abu-Dhabi-55611-1.htm Tourists will be able to journey to outer space via Abu Dhabi as part of a deal by a local investment group to take a stake in the world's first commercial space travel operator, the two companies said on Tuesday. Aabar Investments said it plans to build a space port in Abu Dhabi, capital of the seven-member United Arab Emirates federation, after agreeing to buy about a 32 percent stake in the holding company of Virgin Galactic for 280 million dollars, valuing the business at around 900 million dollars....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Port-To-Be-Sited-In-Abu-Dhabi-55611-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Tourism-Fever-in-China-as-People-Get-Ready-for-Solar-Eclipse-54925-1.htm Tourists are flocking to eastern China in anticipation of having a box seat for the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century. According to experts, China is the best place to view the event. The total eclipse, expected to last about six minutes, will pass from southwest China across the cities of Chengdu and Chongqing to Shanghai and Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang province, according to NASA's eclipse website. Tourist agencies, park managers and hotels have been overwhelmed by worldwide ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Tourism-Fever-in-China-as-People-Get-Ready-for-Solar-Eclipse-54925-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Too-Fizzy-South-Koreas-Tourism-Slogan-Sparking-Negative-Response-54792-1.htm South Korea is considering changing its official tourism slogan "Korea, Sparkling" because it sounds too much like a fizzy drink brand, according to the man in charge of promoting the country's's image overseas. The other national slogan "Dynamic Korea" can also give a negative image of violent demonstrations, Thursday's newspapers quoted presidential adviser Euh Yoon-Dae as saying. Euh, who heads the Presidential Council on National Branding, said the tourism association's "Korea, Sparkling" ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Too-Fizzy-South-Koreas-Tourism-Slogan-Sparking-Negative-Response-54792-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Fertility-Tourism-Associated-With-Several-Risks-54714-1.htm Dr Alistair McKelvey, of the foetal medicine unit at the University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London and colleagues have warned that women traveling abroad to avail fertility treatments face several risks. Dr McKelvey said that the concept of fertility tourism was an "under recognized and unregulated phenomenon that is likely to increase" as the technology becomes "possibly more attractive outside the UK". The researchers are calling on the government to undertake an effort to ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Fertility-Tourism-Associated-With-Several-Risks-54714-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Mexico-Invests-Big-To-Revive-Tourism-After-Flu-Scare-51919-1.htm Mexico on Monday launched a multi-million-dollar campaign dubbed "Mexico's alive" to kickstart the tourism sector after swine flu scared away many visitors by killing 80 here. International stars, including Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, Mexican film actor Diego Luna and soccer player Rafael Marquez, from FC Barcelona, are taking part in adverts for the campaign launched by President Felipe Calderon. Calderon said the new campaign involved an unprecedented investment in the country's tourism ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Mexico-Invests-Big-To-Revive-Tourism-After-Flu-Scare-51919-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/JK-All-Set-To-Be-Next-Medical-Tourism-Hub-51519-1.htm Thanks to the abundant availability of cheap and good doctors, Jammu and Kashmir may well become the next medical tourism hub in India. Leading doctors of Kashmir valley have got together in Srinagar, to attend the inaugural function of 55th Annual Conference of Indian Association of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeons (IACTS) at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convocation Centre (SKICC). Senior cardiologists of Kashmir revealed that the cardiac surgery in Kashmir costs 80 per cent less ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/JK-All-Set-To-Be-Next-Medical-Tourism-Hub-51519-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Koreas-Medical-Tourism-Expected-To-Boom-Under-New-Law-50605-1.htm Hospitals will be allowed directly to seek foreign patients from May as part of South Korea's efforts to become Asia's new medical tourism hub, officials said Tuesday. "We expect about 300 billion won (221 million dollars) in revenue this year in this sector, which will grow fast thanks to our aggressive overseas marketing to be legalised this week," said Lee Young-Ho, a marketing director of the Global Healthcare Business Centre. The centre, which is controlled by the health ministry, is ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Koreas-Medical-Tourism-Expected-To-Boom-Under-New-Law-50605-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Serbia-Emerging-As-Medical-Tourism-Hub-for-Westerners-50248-1.htm Each summer, Julia Karstens of Germany has her teeth seen to in Serbia, where authorities are eager to lure tourists seeking cheaper medical bills amid the global economic crisis. "A friend of Serbian origin invited me to come with her to see a dentist in her country. This is how it all began," said Karstens. Karstens said she was "very satisfied with the quality of service," but insisted cheaper prices were the main reason for her trips to the former Yugoslav republic. "In Germany, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Serbia-Emerging-As-Medical-Tourism-Hub-for-Westerners-50248-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Sucked-Into-A-Black-Hole-Thanks-to-Recession-49294-1.htm So, you love travelling? Have you visited, The Great Wall of China - check; Taj Mahal - check; Niagra falls - check; the Solar System - ?? The last item on that travel list could well remain unchecked for a while. Eventhough a US software mogul made history this week as the first person to travel to space twice as a tourist, space tourism is facing an uncertain future. The millionaire mogul might just be the last paying passenger to head into space for several years. These are tough times ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Sucked-Into-A-Black-Hole-Thanks-to-Recession-49294-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Goas-Tourism-Hit-by-Recession-Terror-and-Death-47691-1.htm A double-whammy of the global economic turmoil and Mumbai terror attacks has hit the usually bustling Indian resort of Goa hard as a disappointing winter tourist season draws to a quiet close. Others point to the death of a British teenager whose body was found on a beach in the former Portuguese colony a year ago Wednesday for affecting visitor numbers, shedding light on a murky sub-culture of sex, drink and drugs. About 2.7 million tourists from India and abroad came to tiny Goa state ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Goas-Tourism-Hit-by-Recession-Terror-and-Death-47691-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Aircraft-Makes-Its-First-Test-Flight-45514-1.htm A carrier aircraft known as 'White Knight Two', which is designed to be the first stage of a commercial spaceline system, has made its maiden test flight. Designed by Scaled Composites, the White Knight Two mothership rolled down the runway of the Mojave Air and Space Port in California and muscled itself into the air using four Pratt and Whitney PW308A turbofan engines, on December 21. It flew for about an hour, departing the runway at roughly 8:17 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, safely touching ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-Aircraft-Makes-Its-First-Test-Flight-45514-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Africas-Package-Deal-Offer-of-health-Tourism-and-the-Jungle-Safari-43434-1.htm The jungle safari continues to draw hordes of visitors to South Africa annually just like before. But the twist in the tale is that these tourists, apart from the big game and unspoiled scenery, also arrive in this picturesque country for a sojourn in its private hospitals! The facilities here include tummy tucking and other cosmetic enhancements, plus a recuperating experience in Nature's wondrous lap! Joy Kramel-Cox traveled 12 hours from London to undergo a tummy tuck, a nose job, and eyelid ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Africas-Package-Deal-Offer-of-health-Tourism-and-the-Jungle-Safari-43434-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-in-Ludhiana-42892-1.htm Medical tourism has become a watchword in India and now states are also looking to cash in on the booming health sector. And Punjab, with its excellent infrastructure and medical facilities, has huge potential to attract foreigners as well as non-resident Indian (NRI). In fact, Punjab occupies a special place in India's growing health care facilities, be it brain surgery, hip replacement and even rejuvenation by traditional Indian medicines. The availability of Cytotron Therapy, the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-in-Ludhiana-42892-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/India-Emerging-as-International-Medical-Tourism-Hub-42144-1.htm India continues to make rapid strides in medical tourism. Analysts view medical tourism as a most promising segment, but many areas of concern need to be addressed. BRBRWith its low cost advantage and emergence of several private players, it represents the fastest growing market, predicts "Asian Medical Tourism Analysis (2008-2012)," prepared by Research and Markets, an Irish firm. BRBRActually there is nothing strikingly new about the finding, experts say. India was touted as the global ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/India-Emerging-as-International-Medical-Tourism-Hub-42144-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-is-Here-to-Stay-US-Astronaut-39930-1.htm The advent of space tourism has been welcomed by the commander of the latest US shuttle mission. He is predicting that such travel is on the brink of the massive growth seen a century ago with airplanes. "The private sector can go out and make money doing something that only governments now do. You really are going to see an expansion of the industry," Discovery commander Mark Kelly said. "I personally think it's great," he said, joining six other crew members at a news conference in Tokyo ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Space-Tourism-is-Here-to-Stay-US-Astronaut-39930-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Now-Dental-Tourism-on-the-NHS-39022-1.htm With medical tourism in full flow, new draft proposals are being tabled to allow UK residents to avail cross border dental treatment in the EU. The catch is that the bill would be sent to the NHS. Most experts feel if this comes into force the National Health Service will become a 'European Health Service'. A poll has also shown that most NHS patients - 53% - are willing to travel within the EU to get dental work done. European Commission healthcare spokesman Nicholas Fahy said ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Now-Dental-Tourism-on-the-NHS-39022-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Is-Eco-Tourism-A-Boon-or-Bane-for-Travelers-38670-1.htm Flip through a travel brochure, and you're likely to see pictures of sun and sand in Southeast Asia, of luxury lodges in the Serengeti, of scuba diving in the bejewelled coral reefs of the Caribbean. What the brochure won't reveal, though, is tourism's dirty little secret: the environmental cost of your trip. That beach in Thailand may once have housed precious mangroves, which were ripped up to make way for your hotel. To provide you with a piping-hot shower and tempting meal after ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Is-Eco-Tourism-A-Boon-or-Bane-for-Travelers-38670-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Transplant-Tourism-Increasing-Poverty-in-India-Pakistan-38024-1.htm The practice of transplant tourism needs to be regulated by the introduction of radical reforms, top surgeons say. The claim this practice is adversely affecting people in developing countries like India and Pakistan. Professor Maqsood Noorani, former transplant surgeon at The Barts and The London NHS Trust in London, says that the UK government must bring in presumed consent to organ donation, or allow a controlled donor compensation programme for unrelated live donors. He points out that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Transplant-Tourism-Increasing-Poverty-in-India-Pakistan-38024-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Korea-Looks-to-Medical-Tourism-36045-1.htm South Korea has now turned its attention to the lucrative medical tourism sector by recognizing the skills of cosmetic surgeons in the country. Helped by active government support, a boom in cosmetic surgery and a pool of experienced surgeons, the country wants to surpass Singapore, Thailand and India to become Asia's new medical tourism hub. "In foreign countries, the combination of the health and tourism industries is emerging as a new future-oriented industrial sector," President ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/South-Korea-Looks-to-Medical-Tourism-36045-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Explosion-in-Tourism-Has-Damaging-Impact-on-Costa-Rica-35589-1.htm Costa Rica could be a much sought after tourist destination in the Americas. But the virtual explosion in tourism is having a terrible impact on the tiny country's environment. The booming surf town of Tamarindo, for instance, is turning the sea into an open sewer. Water quality tests conducted by the country's Water and Sewer Institute (AyA) over the past year found fecal contamination far above levels considered safe by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Such contradictions ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Explosion-in-Tourism-Has-Damaging-Impact-on-Costa-Rica-35589-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourists-Flock-to-India-35013-1.htm Medical tourism is booming in India as an increasing number of foreign patients are opting for treatment in Indian hospitals. A high-level group of the Planning Commission in India said in a report, "It is estimated that in 2002 as many as 150,000 medical tourists traveled to India, bringing in earnings of USD 300 million." Since then, the number of people visiting India for medical treatment has been increasing by at least 25% every year. A CII-McKinsey report says, this figure would "go up to USD two billion by 2012....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourists-Flock-to-India-35013-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Antarctic-Tourism-Threatening-Regions-Ecosystems-Warn-Campaigners-34873-1.htm Environmental campaigners have called for greater restrictions on shipping around Antarctica in order to prevent damage to its unique ecosystems. According to a report in BBC News, a major cause of concern is the fact that more tourists than ever before are visiting Antarctica, some in ships not designed for the harsh conditions. Antarctic tourism has grown about five-fold in the last 15 years, with figures from the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators suggesting that ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Antarctic-Tourism-Threatening-Regions-Ecosystems-Warn-Campaigners-34873-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Inhospitality-Has-Put-France-Tourism-in-a-Tight-Spot-31044-1.htm It has glorious architecture, fabulous museums and exquisite food but France is worried that all this may not be enough to secure its position as the world's top tourism destination. A new study shows that despite progress over recent years, France is still struggling to shed its image as an unfriendly nation of surly waiters and grumpy taxi drivers, compared to Italy and Spain, seen as more hospitable. Some 62 percent of tourists who came to France in 2006 rated the welcome they received ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Inhospitality-Has-Put-France-Tourism-in-a-Tight-Spot-31044-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-28854-1.htm Chennai, the health capital of India has come to be recognised as the 'The Mecca of Medicine'. Coimbatore is also fast emerging as the next health destination in South India. With several specialised centres for treatment of disorders, this city has been performing exceedingly well in the recent past. 'Medical Tourism', the buzzword in the wellness sector is coming of age, albeit very slowly, without government support. Individually, the corporate hospitals are attracting patients from ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Medical-Tourism-28854-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Mizoram-Conducts-Bamboo-Festival-to-Boost-Tourism-in-the-State-28513-1.htm The first ever Bamboo festival was held here recently to showcase the states bamboo products and to promote tourism in the state. The three-day festival was organised by the tourism department with the theme "promote tourism". In the festival, where the stalls were put up under the banner "bamboo, the ultimate source of prosperity" provided a magnificent platform for traders to display their bamboo and other indigenous products. C.Ramhluna, PCCF, Mizoram and Chairman ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Mizoram-Conducts-Bamboo-Festival-to-Boost-Tourism-in-the-State-28513-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/The-Tourism-Industry-in-Carribean-Islands-Alerted-to-Implement-HIVAIDS-Prevention-Programs-27886-1.htm Additionally, the study should serve as call to action for the tourism industry to implement HIV/AIDS prevention programs for tourists and tourism employees, said assistant professor Mark Padilla of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. The Caribbean is second only to sub-Saharan Africa in HIV/AIDS cases. The disease has been described as primarily heterosexual, Padilla said. However, Padilla's book shows that sexual contact between Caribbean male sex workers and male tourists ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/The-Tourism-Industry-in-Carribean-Islands-Alerted-to-Implement-HIVAIDS-Prevention-Programs-27886-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Tourism-Summit-Stress-the-Importance-of-Eco-Tourism-27750-1.htm The heat of global warming and climate change is being felt everywhere. No wonder that speakers at the 8th Annual Tourism Summit in New Delhi, which had people from the hospitality industry and environmentalists participating, stressed on eco-tourism. Mandip Singh Soni, chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) core group on eco and sustainable tourism, said that with global warming spreading its deadly tentacles on the globe, eco-tourism is the call of the day. "In the process ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Tourism-Summit-Stress-the-Importance-of-Eco-Tourism-27750-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Indias-Medical-Tourism-Market-to-Grow-to-2-Bn-by-2012-24680-1.htm India's medical tourism market is growing by 25 percent annually and is expected to become a (Dollor) 2 billion-a-year business opportunity by 2012, the tourism ministry said Monday. "Medical tourism has gained momentum in India over the past few years, a trend underpinned by India's low-cost advantage and the emergence of new high-quality healthcare service providers," a ministry statement said. The medical tourism market in India was estimated at (Dollor) 333 million in 2004, the year in which ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Indias-Medical-Tourism-Market-to-Grow-to-2-Bn-by-2012-24680-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Mexico-Becoming-Health-Tourist-Destination-for-Americans-24286-1.htm If Sicko takes you to Cuba to hold up the US healthcare system to ridicule, here come reports that more and more Americans are eyeing Mexico on the border as an option. Healthcare in Mexico is becoming high-quality, cheap and convenient, it is now felt. As more Americans go without heath insurance or feel the pinch of managed care, some are making a run for the border for treatment ranging from routine care to live-saving procedures. Two North Texas-based hospital chains, Christus Health of Irving and International Hospital Corp....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Mexico-Becoming-Health-Tourist-Destination-for-Americans-24286-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/China-to-Replace-France-as-Worlds-Top-Tourism-Destination-by-2014-22952-1.htm Using the 2008 Olympics as its launch pad, China is expected to replace France as the world's top tourism destination by 2014. Experts interviewed by a foreign news agency said China received 22 million foreign tourists in 2006, excluding arrivals from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, compared to a mere 300,000 in 1978. They said that while tourism growth in France has been slow, China has been enjoying double-digit expansion for years. As a result, China, originally expected to overtake ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/China-to-Replace-France-as-Worlds-Top-Tourism-Destination-by-2014-22952-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/IVF-Tourism-Marred-by-Ethical-Differences-in-EU-22940-1.htm There should be a basic set of standards among the European Union countries regarding the IVF tourism some experts believe. There needs to be reduced legal differences between countries that are encouraging "reproductive tourism." The term 'reproductive tourism' refers to people travelling to countries other than their own for fertility treatments because it may be cheaper or easier to access that over there. According to Guido Pennings, professor of ethics and bioethics at the University ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/IVF-Tourism-Marred-by-Ethical-Differences-in-EU-22940-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Health-Tourists-Put-Spanish-Service-Under-Strain-22593-1.htm Waves of tourists have been coming to Spain's sun-kissed eastern and southern coastline for decades and convalescents among them are connoisseurs of the climate's restorative properties. But as European integration progresses, more and more health "tourists" and foreign residents buying into the idea of retirement by the sea have been making increasing use of Spain's health facilities -- to the extent that they are now causing a headache for service providers. EU tourists here, comprising ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Health-Tourists-Put-Spanish-Service-Under-Strain-22593-1.htm