“Public-private cooperation of Gyeonggi Province in medical tourism: Model of Creative Economy”
Createdd 2014-10-06 Hit 335
Contents
Gyeonggi Province signs MOU on September 3 with 14 organizations for vitalization of medical tourism
◇ At the GSBC On September 3, Gyeonggi Province singed an MOU of public-private cooperation for the development of medical tourism, with Governor Nam and officials from seven cities/counties within the province and seven organizations attending.
Gyeonggi Province is strengthening public-private cooperation in order to develop into a leading global center in the medical tourism industry, which has emerged as a new growth engine of the Creative Economy through a surge in medical Korean waves.
At the Gyeonggi Small and Medium Business Center (GSBC) on September 3, Gyeonggi Province signed a public-private cooperation MOU for the development of medical tourism, with Governor Nam and officials from seven cities/counties within the province and seven organizations attending.
The signing ceremony held that day was attended by related officials from strategic medical tourism areas in Gyeonggi Province including Suwon City, Seongnam City, Goyang City, Bucheon City, Ansan City, Anyang City, and Gapyeong Country, as well as private organizations such as the Gyeonggi International Medical Association, the Gyeonggi Overseas Marketing Professional Association, Gacheon University, Yuhan College, the Korea Hotel & Tourism Technical College, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, and the Gyeonggi Medical Center.
As the first comprehensive agreement made by a self-governing body with cities and counties as well as medical and tourism organizations participating, it is expected to serve as a stepping stone in the combined leveraging of the capabilities of the Gyeonggi medical tourism industry.
“Medical tourism is a convergence model, which is a key in a creative economy,” said Governor Nam. “I will take the lead in establishing medical tourism as a new industry of the future so as to create jobs and vitalize the local economy, thereby enabling your dreams and hopes to be realized.”
Governor Nam also emphasized, “The agreement today is just the beginning. Together with all related organizations, I will do my utmost to establish Gyeonggi Province as a leading global center in the medical tourism industry, surpassing Singapore and Japan.”
◇ Governor Nam delivers greetings
Organizations participating in the MOU all agreed to develop services for the convenience of medical tourists, and to engage in cooperative marketing, nurture professional manpower, foster excellent cooperative organizations, and establish infrastructure jointly.
They also plan to create a database by integrating medical tourism information from widespread sources for the convenience of foreigners, and to provide a one-stop medical tourism service through a website in which medical information and tourism information are well balanced.
To that end, and for the first time among Korean local governments, the Gyeonggi Medical Tourism Information Center will be established under the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization.
The Gyeonggi Medical Tourism Information Center – which will be responsible for the collection and provision of medical tourism information, consultation, cooperative network management, promotional marketing and more – will be sponsored by the province, cities and counties. Cooperating organizations will actively participate and take leading roles, such as organizing an advisory committee.
Together with participating colleges within the province, the center will cultivate medical tourism coordinators and provide retraining for current professionals in the field in order to resolve a professional manpower shortage, which is the greatest difficulty on the front lines.
Small and medium-sized hospitals and agencies will be encouraged to participate more to increase regional medical tourism capacities. Support will also be provided for the development of medical tourism products and overseas marketing.
By developing transportation services such as airport pick-up and medi-tour buses, the center also plans to provide support for patients and their accompanying family members to take tours and enjoy experiential activities. Such efforts will create positive word-of-mouth marketing and entice them to return.
Additionally, among the leading institutions of the medical tourism industry within the province, top medical tourism organizations will be selected after reviewing the number of visitors, the results of overseas marketing, and the content of services. Through medical tourism communities to be created in each region, accumulated experiences and knowledge will be shared to establish a medical tourism cluster.
With a total of 25,673 tourists last year, the number of medical tourists visiting Gyeonggi Province has increased by an annual average of 22.1%, ranking second out of the 17 local governments.
◇ After the ceremony, Governor Nam and other participants pose for photographs with college students who are medical tourism supporters.
