Why consider South Korea

South Korea is growing rapidly as a first choice destination for medical tourism, and it’s easy to see why, because they make their medical tourists feel so welcome.

If you haven’t already booked your medical treatment in South Korea in advance, you’ll have the chance the moment you step off the plane at Incheon International Airport, with a Medical Tourism Information Centre right there in the arrivals lounge. Alternatively, you can visit the Medical Tourism Promotion Centre in the Korean Tourism Offices in Seoul, and get all the information you need, as well as a free blood pressure, BMI and stress test. Clearly the Korean Ministry for Health sees medical tourism as an important sector for the Korean economy.

In South Korea, the medical facilities are top notch for everyone, not just the medical tourists, with state of the art equipment backed by South Korea’s world leading IT systems. That said, there are a number of centres in the major cities that have been created especially for the medical tourist, with multi-lingual staff and a comprehensive service that includes travel, accommodation and recuperation packages at some of the country’s finest resorts.

South Korea offers a full range of medical services, but specialises in skin care and plastic surgery. There is also a fascinating mix of western and oriental medicine on offer, creating even more options for your treatment.

Overall, South Korea is a little cheaper than its Asian neighbours and good value for western tourists. What’s more the streets are safe and crime is relatively low, so you can enjoy the cities day or night without worrying.

While South Korea may not be the cheapest medical tourism destination in the world, it is certainly one of the best, with stunning facilities and world-class expertise. In a recent survey, almost 50% of respondents said that they had chosen South Korea for medical treatment because of the quality of medical service and the technology available – something that cannot be said for all Asian destinations.

What’s more, the facilities are improving all the time as the South Korean government pumps significant investment into the sector. This is not only funding a world wide publicity and advertising campaign, but also providing cutting edge facilities, some even more advanced than the US or Western Europe. Dozens of new facilities have been created and hundreds of top class surgeons are being trained and recruited.

Add to this the ready availability of superb leisure facilities and resorts for your post-op recovery and recuperation, and it’s easy to see why so many people are choosing South Korea for their medical treatment. The Ministry of Health aims for 300,000 medical tourists by 2015 and there is no reason why they won’t reach that target and many more beyond.