Strategies for the development of medical tourism in holy Mashhad

Academic Thesis for Master's Degree

Field: Geography and Tourism Planning

Abstract:

Therapeutic tourism, which is the result of the merging of the two most profitable branches of tourism and medical services, has always been and continues to be of interest in the world, so that according to international statistics, this branch of the tourism industry, even during the economic recession in the world, has been able to register an annual growth of 20% and attract many busy The main reason for the travel of medical tourists around the world can be called the lack of medical infrastructure in their hometown or the low level of providing medical services. In the countries of Iraq, Afghanistan, countries on the southern border of the Persian Gulf and the Republic of Azerbaijan, either there is no medical infrastructure at all, or if there is, it is limited and inaccessible to everyone. Considering the positive effects of the development of medical tourism, such as the development of health infrastructure, increasing the number of international standard hospitals, increasing the level of service and quality, increasing foreign exchange earnings and preventing the departure of medical and health specialists, examining and presenting a solution for the development of this branch of tourism can be in line with the goals of the development programs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The city of Mashhad as the second largest city in the country and the second largest religious city in the Islamic world after Makkah, with its abundant tourism capacities and existing medical service infrastructure, can be a tourism hub. Medicine in the Middle East and also among Islamic countries to play a role. 

The main goal of the research is to provide a solution for the development of medical tourism in the city of Mashhad, which requires knowing and investigating the current state of medical tourism in this city. After examining the current situation, solutions were defined in the four administrative-executive, economic, legal-political and marketing-information indicators, and based on the opinion of experts, priority solutions were determined.

Key words: medical tourism, medical tourism, medical tourism, medical services, holy Mashhad. It is an activity that is the source of the deepest cultural, social and economic effects, has little destructive environmental effects and has no consumption character. It is an inexhaustible and inexhaustible resource, which has been presented as the invisible export of countries.

Using natural resources to strengthen the soul and spirit has a special place in human health. As in the planning of developed cities, areas are established and set up for residents to spend their free time. In terms of natural attractions, Iran is one of the top five countries in the world and by taking advantage of the city's healthy climate, unique natural landscapes, mountains, springs, etc. In the case of proper planning and investment, compliance with health and safety principles, natural and therapeutic tourism can be promoted in them.

Tourists who travel to Iran mostly come to Iran with the purpose of getting to know Iranian and Islamic culture and civilization, pilgrimage and visiting religious places, seeing natural and ecotourism attractions, ancient culture and civilization, and business and commercial or therapeutic and medical purposes. It has not been done in our country. (Bahrami, 1389, 2)

The city of Mashhad, as the most important tourist hub in the east of the country and the second metropolis of the country and the second largest religious city in the Islamic world after Mecca, in addition to numerous tourism capabilities in terms of therapeutic tourism, especially medical tourism, due to the existence of specialized and specialized centers equipped in recent years, attracts this type of tourists, including neighboring countries. Pilgrims don't travel to this city only for pilgrimage as in the past, but they have other needs during their journey, which can increase the economic prosperity of the region by increasing the duration and then increasing the various costs. The city of Mashhad annually hosts about 30 million pilgrims and tourists, of which about 5% are foreign tourists.

In this research, considering the existing capacities of tourism in holy Mashhad, the solutions for the development of medical tourism as the most profitable branch of tourism have been investigated and presented..

1-2 statement of the problem

Tourism is an economic activity that, due to its nature and special features, provides suitable opportunities to enter the field of international trade regardless of the level of development of countries. This importance has caused this economic activity to be referred to as an industry, which is basically of a service nature, and it is known as the third industry in the world after the oil and automobile industry (Haqiqi et al., 2018, 23) and after the oil and automobile industries, it is considered the most popular source of income, because most of the income from it reaches the people directly and without intermediaries (Gandemkar, 2010, 266). It can be said that tourism activity is one of the activities that in terms of its nature is a socio-cultural product and in terms of planning and management is an interdisciplinary activity (Mashiri and Nazari, 1385, 2017). Industrial life in most countries of the world has its own requirements and the needs for physical fitness and the use of natural resources and vitamins, reducing pain and mastering the nerves and increasing the health of the mind and body are very impressive. Today, traveling for treatment and recovery of lost strength is one of the most important goals of tourism. Since the 1990s, several factors have joined hands to strengthen health tourism. On the other hand, in developed countries, the high cost of medical and medical services, the long time that patients have to wait for their turn and also the time that they have to spend getting their insurance approval, caused the emergence of this motivation to receive the said services in other countries despite the existence of some problems. This income has caused some Asian countries such as Singapore, Thailand and India to advertise their medical services among the patients of the world. There are no exact statistics about the turnover of medical tourism, but according to global health statistics, about 50 billion dollars are spent annually on the treatment of patients in the region in European and American countries, and absorbing a percentage of this amount can have a significant impact on the tourism economy of Asian countries.

Given the suitable and significant existing capacities in Iran, the existence of climatic conditions and climate diversity, natural treatment centers, the low cost of treatment compared to the treatment facilities and services provided in this field (compared to many countries in the world) and in Against Iran's need to develop the tourism industry and acquaint the people of the world with many available capabilities and capacities, Iran does not have a suitable position in the tourism industry. The main efforts related to the development of the tourism industry in Iran have been focused on promotional and advertising approaches, or in other words, demand-oriented, which means that the country's potential for attracting tourists in the field of medical tourism, despite the presence of medical staff and medical facilities and cheaper treatment, as well as natural attractions such as abundant hot springs, geysers, salt domes, and suitable weather, has not been optimally used in the country. The country of Iran has had skilled doctors since the distant past, and currently it has potentials in the field of recombinant drugs, stem cells, ophthalmology and cancer treatments, as well as low medical costs compared to European and Asian countries, and it has countless potentials in nature therapy, which can become a hub of natural therapy tourism in the region and among Islamic countries, and take the lead in this field and receive patients from neighboring Islamic countries and the Southeast Asian basin, and considering the capabilities mentioned in Iran in medicine And naturopathy can attract many therapeutic tourists compared to many European and American countries and in this way create employment and economic benefits for the country and promote Iran from a cultural and political point of view. and the increase of medical and welfare facilities, we can welcome medical tourists in Iran and have the first word in this regard among Islamic countries. However, despite the fact that Iran has the highest ability among the countries in the region in the field of medical tourism, these opportunities have not been fully used as mentioned.

1-3 Necessity and importance of research

Today, the tourism industry is so important in the economic and social development of countries that economists have called it an invisible export.