A Cocktail of Medical and Cruise Tourism
Author: Laura Page
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Abstract: A cocktail of Medical and Cruise Tourism
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships, however there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010). This report is therefore going to define what cruise and medical tourism is and discuss the potential opportunity of merging the two together, whilst identifying the advantages and disadvantages of this new proposal. Many cruise liners almost have entire decks allocated for the purpose of emergency care and spas, as well as being 'exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff as ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor (Beaver, 2005). Therefore outfitting a cruise ship with additional resources for procedures such as cosmetic surgery would/could be the next logical step (Lambier, 2010).
Key Words: Cruise, Medical, Tourism, Ships, Cosmetic, Surgery.
A cocktail of Medical and Cruise Tourism
Introduction
The cruise industry experienced a period of considerable growth from the 1970s, "when the cruise ship operators began to offer a mass market product to a broader and younger clientele, and not just the rich and elderly" (Marsh & Staple, 1995, p.63). With this growth came a demand for new, distant and unique destinations which encouraged the cruise line industry to develop more options for tourists, from this arose the merge of medical tourism and cruise tourism.
Some of the earliest forms of tourism was directed at increasing the health and well being, however a shift in more domestic time and money has meant an increase in tourism being linked to medical treatments, (Connell, 2006) mainly cosmetic surgery.
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships, however there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010). This report is therefore going to define what cruise and medical tourism is and discuss the potential opportunity of merging the two together, whilst identifying the advantages and disadvantages of this new proposal.
What is Cruise Tourism?
Research carried out by Kester (2003) found that in the year 2000 Cruise lines welcomed almost 10 million passengers. Cruise tourism has been one of the fastest growing tourism sub-sectors over the past few decades, 'seeing phenomenal growth rates all over the world' (Luck et al 2010) with the market growing by eight percent annually (WTO, 2010). The concept of cruising, as a tourist activity, started in the 1880s. Cartwright and Baird (1999) define cruising as "a multi-centre holiday where you take your hotel with you from centre to centre" (p. 23). Dependent on the cruise ship, the itinerary and the length of stay there are a number of activities which can be carried out either on or off board the ship; spa's, hair treatments, nail treatments and massages, kids clubs, dancing, arts and crafts, cuisine lessons as well as sporting lessons (Klien, 2002, Cruise Travel, 1981). Yet there seems to be a gap in the market for more medical treatments on board cruise liners which is starting to be recongised. Many cruises offer minimal cosmetic surgery such as Botox; however more treatments could be made available. 'Ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor. Passenger liners are exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff' (Beaver, 2005), which would make medical treatments on board possible.
What is Medical Tourism?
According to the Daily Telegraph, medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry which has seen 2.65 million Britons been or are planning to travel abroad for medical procedures, largely due to the long NHS waiting lists and expensive private care within the UK (Daily Telegraph, 2010). Medical tourism is vast and covers a number of procedures. Medical tourism gives the global medical tourist the opportunity to get the best quality of medical surgery, cosmetic surgery, and dental surgery at significantly low costs. While the low cost is the primary motivation to travel abroad, some medical tourists seek medical care overseas because of immediate availability of procedures and sometimes the unavailability of certain procedures (Health Base, 2006).
So what treatment are people going abroad for? According to figures based on the 2007 Medical Tourism Survey carried out by Treatment Abroad (2011), 43% of British patients travelled abroad for dental treatments, 29% for cosmetic surgery and 28% for other items such as orthopedic surgery and infertility treatment. These were in countries such as Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic to name only a few.
In addition to more spending cuts expected to hit the NHS, more people might be tempted to look overseas (Daily Telegraph, 2010) or on the seas.
The mix of cruise and medical tourism
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships. However there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010).
However if floating hospitals, which are used by the military, are taken into consideration it can be argued that the mechanism of medical tourism on cruise ships is already there and that floating hospitals just need to be developed further and targeted to the correct audience.
Although the travel trade has suffered greatly from the global economy in recent year, cruise travel has gone from strength to strength with a record 14 new ships launching in the year 2009.
A positive of cruise and medical tourism together is that cruise ships operate under international maritime regulations meaning there is the advantage of cruise ships being able to employ (Lambier, 2010) world renowned specialists for a defined period of time to meet and treat a selection of patients (International Medical Travel journal, 2010). Which is reassuring as unlike on land, the doctors will be available all the time you are at sea for pre and post operative attention (International Medical Travel journal, 2010). This also opens up many treatment options for travellers/ patients seeking procedures unavailable in their own country.
There is always the possibility of a medical procedure going wrong. To reassure passengers 'all the large cruise ships have helicopter platforms and emergency care units'(International Medical Travel Journal, 2010). Co-operation between both land and sea services (International Medical Travel Journal, 2010) is essential. Though at this moment in time cruise and medical tourism is only theoretical to ensure its success, land based support is of particular importance if something was to go wrong.
Conclusion
From the evidence provided it shows that incorporating medical tourism on to cruise ships would not be overwhelmingly difficult as military ships already 'medically or surgically treat members of the Army, Navy and RAF' (QARANC, 2011) on their hospital ships. Many cruise liners also almost have entire decks allocated for the purpose of emergency care and spas, as well as being 'exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff as ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor (Beaver, 2005). Therefore outfitting a cruise ship with additional resources for procedures such as cosmetic surgery would/could be the next logical step (Lambier, 2010).
References
International Medical Travel journal. (2010) 'Cruise ship medical toruism: Will it sink or swim'. (online). Intitutions Communications. [accessed 14.04.2011].
<http://www.imtj.com/articles/2010/cruise-ship-medical-tourism-30039/>
Lambier, C. (2010) 'Smooth Sailing ~ Cruise Lines and Medical Tourism, a Budding Relationship'. (online) Medical Tourism Magazine, Issue 18 [accessed 14.04.2011]
<http://www.medicaltourismmag.com/article/smooth-sailing-cruise-lines-and-medical-tourism-a-budding-relationship.html>
Treatment Aboard. (2010) 'Spa cruises increasing in popularity, GLOBAL: Spa cruises increasing in popularity', (online). Intuition Communication Ltd [accessed 22.03.2011].
<http://www.treatmentabroad.com/medical-tourism/news/?EntryId82=247143>
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships, however there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010). This report is therefore going to define what cruise and medical tourism is and discuss the potential opportunity of merging the two together, whilst identifying the advantages and disadvantages of this new proposal. Many cruise liners almost have entire decks allocated for the purpose of emergency care and spas, as well as being 'exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff as ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor (Beaver, 2005). Therefore outfitting a cruise ship with additional resources for procedures such as cosmetic surgery would/could be the next logical step (Lambier, 2010).
Key Words: Cruise, Medical, Tourism, Ships, Cosmetic, Surgery.
A cocktail of Medical and Cruise Tourism
Introduction
The cruise industry experienced a period of considerable growth from the 1970s, "when the cruise ship operators began to offer a mass market product to a broader and younger clientele, and not just the rich and elderly" (Marsh & Staple, 1995, p.63). With this growth came a demand for new, distant and unique destinations which encouraged the cruise line industry to develop more options for tourists, from this arose the merge of medical tourism and cruise tourism.
Some of the earliest forms of tourism was directed at increasing the health and well being, however a shift in more domestic time and money has meant an increase in tourism being linked to medical treatments, (Connell, 2006) mainly cosmetic surgery.
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships, however there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010). This report is therefore going to define what cruise and medical tourism is and discuss the potential opportunity of merging the two together, whilst identifying the advantages and disadvantages of this new proposal.
What is Cruise Tourism?
Research carried out by Kester (2003) found that in the year 2000 Cruise lines welcomed almost 10 million passengers. Cruise tourism has been one of the fastest growing tourism sub-sectors over the past few decades, 'seeing phenomenal growth rates all over the world' (Luck et al 2010) with the market growing by eight percent annually (WTO, 2010). The concept of cruising, as a tourist activity, started in the 1880s. Cartwright and Baird (1999) define cruising as "a multi-centre holiday where you take your hotel with you from centre to centre" (p. 23). Dependent on the cruise ship, the itinerary and the length of stay there are a number of activities which can be carried out either on or off board the ship; spa's, hair treatments, nail treatments and massages, kids clubs, dancing, arts and crafts, cuisine lessons as well as sporting lessons (Klien, 2002, Cruise Travel, 1981). Yet there seems to be a gap in the market for more medical treatments on board cruise liners which is starting to be recongised. Many cruises offer minimal cosmetic surgery such as Botox; however more treatments could be made available. 'Ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor. Passenger liners are exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff' (Beaver, 2005), which would make medical treatments on board possible.
What is Medical Tourism?
According to the Daily Telegraph, medical tourism is a rapidly growing industry which has seen 2.65 million Britons been or are planning to travel abroad for medical procedures, largely due to the long NHS waiting lists and expensive private care within the UK (Daily Telegraph, 2010). Medical tourism is vast and covers a number of procedures. Medical tourism gives the global medical tourist the opportunity to get the best quality of medical surgery, cosmetic surgery, and dental surgery at significantly low costs. While the low cost is the primary motivation to travel abroad, some medical tourists seek medical care overseas because of immediate availability of procedures and sometimes the unavailability of certain procedures (Health Base, 2006).
So what treatment are people going abroad for? According to figures based on the 2007 Medical Tourism Survey carried out by Treatment Abroad (2011), 43% of British patients travelled abroad for dental treatments, 29% for cosmetic surgery and 28% for other items such as orthopedic surgery and infertility treatment. These were in countries such as Bulgaria, Poland and the Czech Republic to name only a few.
In addition to more spending cuts expected to hit the NHS, more people might be tempted to look overseas (Daily Telegraph, 2010) or on the seas.
The mix of cruise and medical tourism
Recent research has shown there is a growing market for medical procedures such as cosmetic surgery to be made available on cruise ships. However there is a debate about the potential merits and problems of using cruise ships as a base for medical travel (Treatment Aboard, 2010).
However if floating hospitals, which are used by the military, are taken into consideration it can be argued that the mechanism of medical tourism on cruise ships is already there and that floating hospitals just need to be developed further and targeted to the correct audience.
Although the travel trade has suffered greatly from the global economy in recent year, cruise travel has gone from strength to strength with a record 14 new ships launching in the year 2009.
A positive of cruise and medical tourism together is that cruise ships operate under international maritime regulations meaning there is the advantage of cruise ships being able to employ (Lambier, 2010) world renowned specialists for a defined period of time to meet and treat a selection of patients (International Medical Travel journal, 2010). Which is reassuring as unlike on land, the doctors will be available all the time you are at sea for pre and post operative attention (International Medical Travel journal, 2010). This also opens up many treatment options for travellers/ patients seeking procedures unavailable in their own country.
There is always the possibility of a medical procedure going wrong. To reassure passengers 'all the large cruise ships have helicopter platforms and emergency care units'(International Medical Travel Journal, 2010). Co-operation between both land and sea services (International Medical Travel Journal, 2010) is essential. Though at this moment in time cruise and medical tourism is only theoretical to ensure its success, land based support is of particular importance if something was to go wrong.
Conclusion
From the evidence provided it shows that incorporating medical tourism on to cruise ships would not be overwhelmingly difficult as military ships already 'medically or surgically treat members of the Army, Navy and RAF' (QARANC, 2011) on their hospital ships. Many cruise liners also almost have entire decks allocated for the purpose of emergency care and spas, as well as being 'exceptionally well equipped medically, usually with a ships hospital and nursing staff as ships that carry more than 12 passengers must by international maritime law, carry a doctor (Beaver, 2005). Therefore outfitting a cruise ship with additional resources for procedures such as cosmetic surgery would/could be the next logical step (Lambier, 2010).
References
International Medical Travel journal. (2010) 'Cruise ship medical toruism: Will it sink or swim'. (online). Intitutions Communications. [accessed 14.04.2011].
<http://www.imtj.com/articles/2010/cruise-ship-medical-tourism-30039/>
Lambier, C. (2010) 'Smooth Sailing ~ Cruise Lines and Medical Tourism, a Budding Relationship'. (online) Medical Tourism Magazine, Issue 18 [accessed 14.04.2011]
<http://www.medicaltourismmag.com/article/smooth-sailing-cruise-lines-and-medical-tourism-a-budding-relationship.html>
Treatment Aboard. (2010) 'Spa cruises increasing in popularity, GLOBAL: Spa cruises increasing in popularity', (online). Intuition Communication Ltd [accessed 22.03.2011].
<http://www.treatmentabroad.com/medical-tourism/news/?EntryId82=247143>