THE SHOW

healthCare cybernetics (hCc) has teamed with BusinessGlobal.com for the first-ever International Wellness & Health Tourism (IW&HT) Fair 2010, an online international trade fair bringing together products and services providers from all eight segments of the Wellness & Health Tourism industry under one virtual roof.

The wellness and health tourism market is more lucrative than ever. The sector continues to grow exponentially, and this virtual trade fair will create new international channels to promote business and investment in the sector. IW&HT 2010 will enable employers, health insurance companies, self-funded health plans and medical tourism facilitators to explore partnership opportunities with overseas healthcare and wellness travel providers, including international hospitals, medical tourism providers and rehabilitation centres.

With thousands of daily trade visitors, IW&HT 2010 is the perfect online trade show for businesses involved in this growing industry to build new relationships and re-energise their organisations.

IN GENERAL

The wellness and health tourism industry is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years, substantially outstripping the anticipated growth in general tourist travel by at least 6% annually. In Asia alone, the number of medical tourist visits is increasing by up to 30% per year.

The number of wellness and health tourists visiting India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand has grown to over 1.3 million. Each of these tourists spends an average of US$362 per day, compared to the average daily expenditure of holidaymakers of US$144. This has inspired many new providers to enter the market, and the number of international trade partnerships between treatment providers and tourism suppliers continues to increase, in response to surging demand.

Wellness and health tourism industry providers now draw more governmental and commercial interest than ever before. IW&HT 2010 is a live international trade fair that will enable providers to establish partnerships and tap emerging business opportunities across the globe. This unique virtual exhibition is a must for entrepreneurs, wellness and health providers and tourism professionals looking to showcase their services to a massive international audience.

Wellness Tourism

Wellness tourism is a rapidly emerging segment of the growing medical tourism industry – tourists seeking spa and therapeutic experiences to enhance their health and well-being are currently driving this portion of the market.

These consumers tend to be in good health, often travelling far afield to avail themselves of wellness centres, holistic retreats and spas in foreign locales, creating a huge potential market for providers. Resorts and hotels worldwide are catering to these consumers - many of them are enlarging and remodeling their health spas and fitness centers, in order to re-brand their facilities as destination spas.

The exploration of Eastern philosophies and practices by Western tourists has become a significant trend, with many Americans and Europeans journeying eastward for Buddhist meditation, Chinese medical treatments, Indian Ayurveda, Thai massage and yoga retreats. The increasing demand for these experiences presents a significant opportunity for entrepreneurs and potential investors.

Health Tourism

Health tourism, also known as medical tourism, is a worldwide industry currently driven by consumers with medical conditions who travel abroad for treatment, particularly lower-cost surgical procedures and rehabilitation services. Many industrialized nations, particularly the UK and the USA, find themselves enmeshed in an ongoing healthcare crisis, and their citizens are often forced to seek affordable, quality medical care abroad. According to McKinsey & Company, the global medical tourism market may reach US$100 billion by 2012, as health insurance companies and employers look to health tourism as a creative solution to the healthcare crisis.

Central America, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand and Turkey are the most significant emerging markets in the health tourism industry. India’s medical industry, thanks in part to health tourists, should grow to US$190 billion by 2030.

IW&HT 2010 should become the definitive, must-attend exhibition for all wellness and health tourism providers. This ground-breaking virtual trade fair will attract tens of thousands of buyers, as well as SMEs seeking partnerships within the industry. We encourage you to participate, in order to secure a share of this highly lucrative, consistently growing market.