Tourists fancing face-lifts
- Source: Global Times
- [09:52 February 05 2010]
- Comments
A Chinese tourist sampling South Korean cosmetics. Photo: CFP
By Yue Hongyan
If sunny beaches, exhilarating ski slopes or relaxing rural retreats don't float your boat for holiday options, how about a quick trip overseas for a mini face-lift, shining white teeth or a bit of botox to smooth your worries away? "Medical tourism," is the latest fad for holidaymakers and is rapidly on the rise in China, with thousands of people opting for a quick nip and tuck during their time off.
South Korea is one of the most convenient places to head for holiday surgery with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) recently revealing initiatives to attract 70,000 international medical tourists this year, with 200,000 patients targeted by 2012, hopefully bringing in $816 million worth of business.
"The Chinese market is an important target of the South Korean medical tourism industry, with an estimated growth of 20-30 percent every year," Zhu Linlin, from KTO told the Global Times. "Last year, 5 percent of the 50,000 overseas medical tourists to South Korea were from China."
Apart from cosmetic surgery, the term "medical tourism" encompasses a plethora of services, including checkups, dental work and minor operations.
"World-class physicians, modern technology and unique hospitality are some of the draw cards attracting people to South Korea," Zhu explained.
"For Chinese, the short distance and frequent flights from China to South Korea, as well as the food and mild climate are also advantages."
In order to attract more Chinese travelers, some hospitals in Seoul have begun to employ interpreters and nurses who can speak Chinese, Zhu added. A service center has also been set up at Seoul's Incheon Airport to help international tourists who arrive in the country seeking medical services.
In 2007, the South Korean government launched The Council for [South] Korea Medicine Overseas Promotion (CKMP) in cooperation with 28 private hospitals, to help facilitate medical tourism and last year it issued a new law, reducing restrictions on foreign admissions.
Samsung Medical Center in Seoul launched a new International CEO Health Program last month, a top-of-the-range all-encompassing medical check-up service designed for high-end customers from overseas markets, while the Jaseng Hospital of Oriental Medicine recently opened a totally separate building, exclusively for foreign patients.
Organizing holiday nips and tucks needs to be done privately, as many travel agencies shy away from being involved in what can be complicated and risky surgery.
"It is illegal for travel agents to operate cosmetic surgery tours," an agent from China International Travel Service told the Global Times. They can however organize visas, tickets and hotels and trips that include one-day facial experiences in "aesthetics clinics" in South Korea.
"We have launched promotions with six Chinese tourism agencies and Anacli, one South Korean hospital. They include a one-day facial experience in a five-day tour," Zhu from KTO said.
"Medical tourism is designed for high-end customers and you have to think cautiously about your decision with an accountable consultancy," commented Wang Xin, vice president of Anacli's Beijing branch.
She explained that requests and photographs of potential patients are sent to South Korean surgeons for analysis and all details are fully disclosed before the trip begins.
Wang also warned that despite the rise in popularity of touring overseas for medical procedures, experts in the field stress that potential patients should be very aware of the risks associated with surgical and even half-day procedures and be on the lookout for unscrupulous operators.
