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Using authenticity to achieve competitive advantage in medical tourism in the English speaking Caribbean

Chambers, Donna and McIntosh, B (2008) Using authenticity to achieve competitive advantage in medical tourism in the English speaking Caribbean. Third World Quarterly, 29 (5). pp. 915-933. ISSN 0143-6597

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Medical tourism is a relatively recent global economic and political phenomenon which has assumed increasing importance for developing countries, particularly in Asia. It has been slower to develop within the context of the tourism industry in English-speaking Caribbean countries but there is evidence that the tourism policy makers in the region perceive medical tourism as a potentially lucrative niche market. However, while the potential of medical tourism has seemingly been embraced by the region's political directorate, there has been limited discussion of the extent to which this market niche can realistically provide competitive advantage for the region. The argument of this conceptual paper is that the English-speaking Caribbean cannot hope to compete successfully in the global medical tourism market with many developing world destinations in Asia, or even with other Caribbean countries such as Cuba, on factors such as low cost, staff expertise, medical technological capability, investment in healthcare facilities or even in terms of the natural resources of sun, sea and sand. Rather, in order to achieve competitive advantage the countries of the region should, on the one hand, identify and develop their unique resources and competences as they relate to medical tourism, while, on the other hand, they should exploit the demand of the postmodern tourist for authentic experiences. Both these supply and demand side issues, it is argued, can be addressed through the development of a medical tourism product that utilises the region's indigenous herbal remedies.

Full text not available from this repository.

More Information

Depositing User: Donna Chambers

Identifiers

Item ID: 4657
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590802106056
ISSN: 0143-6597
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/4657
Official URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0143659...

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Donna Chambers: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-9502-9919

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 17 Feb 2014 09:44
Last Modified: 02 Jul 2019 09:09

Contributors

Author: Donna Chambers ORCID iD
Author: B McIntosh
Author: Donna Chambers
Author: B McIntosh

University Divisions

Faculty of Business, Law and Tourism > Sunderland Law School

Subjects

Tourism > Tourism

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