Taipei, March 21 (CNA) The Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD) said Wednesday that in view of the huge potential of medical tourism, its promotion is now one of the major policies of the government.

Officials from the nation's highest economic planning agency also said that the government will target such fields as hepatitis, dental and craneofacial reconstruction surgery, in which Taiwan excels, to promote medical tourism.

Taking a cue from other countries, officials said that it will be government policy to upgrade Taiwan's image of offering superb medical care and to strengthen local medical service industry.

They noted that Taiwan's record in hepatitis and dental treatment, craneofacial surgery and physical checkups is on par with other industrialized countries.

This, coupled with Taiwan's edge in prices, will be advantageous to developing a medical tourism sector, they said.

But they also voiced concerns that Taiwan has insufficient language and marketing talent, suggesting that the Department of Health help nurture professionals in various fields, strengthen Internet marketing and deregulation.

They noted that other countries are jumping on the bandwagon of medical tourism with tangible results.

Taking Thailand as an example, they noted that it benefits from the stringent approach adopted by the United States in the issuing of visas to foreigners after the 911 terrorist attacks in 2001.

Thailand reported that 730,000 foreign nationals visited the country in 2003 for medical tourism, bringing in US$488 million for the country.

Singapore also attracts white-collar professionals from Indonesia and Malaysia seeking anti-aging treatments, cosmetic surgery and cheap physical checkups. It is estimated that Singapore welcomed 400,000 foreign patients in 2005, and the number is expected to reach half of a million visitors, with related revenues of US$1.5 billion this year. Those revenues could reach US$3 billion by 2012, they said.

India, because of historical factors, has been the favorite destination for tourism and medical care among Britons. India estimated in 2005 that revenues related to the country's medical tourism sector will reach US$2 billion in 2012.
(By Lilian Wu)