An barely noticed part of the tourism industry is medical tourism -- a niche enjoyed by the elderly and those in need of special or more affordable medical services -- and this niche is currently booming in the country. Foreign visitors to the US find specialized therapies and operations from cosmetic surgeries to cancer procedures more effective -- thus affecting numbers of bookings in hotel activities nationwide.
According to The Globe And Mail, many American hotel chains are lining up their hotels near medical centers and hospitals typically in "hotel-starved outskirts" of cities or towns. The news website said that the Edge Hotel is one example of a dominating earning property in the area. Citing data from Edge Property Group Operating Partner Ari Sherizen, the news website said its strategic location next to a hospital has increased and stabilized the Edge Hotel's occupancy rate to 80 percent since its opening.
Sherizen attributes the sales improvement by "attuning" their staff to the needs of their customers -- primarily the elderly or sickly "medical tourists" that need immediate support or care from stronger hands. Their deals are also friendly -- understanding the need for multiple stays, the Edge Hotel has different stay packages for "medical patients."
According to a previous report by US News, the best hospitals in the country are currently in Minnesota, Cleveland, Boston and Baltimore. In its "2016-17 Best Hospitals Honor Roll," the news website has placed Minnesota's Mayo Clinic in Rochester as a top choice. Cleveland's "Cleveland Clinic" came in second while Massachusetts' General Hospital in Boston is third; and in fourth and fifth place were Balitmore's Johns Hopkins Hospital and UCLA's Medical Center.
Medical tourism is expected to grow as an industry worldwide in the next four years. A report by Future Market Insights said India is the top developing nation in the medical tourism industry specifically for its cardiac surgery operations and facilities. Next is Singapore, which utilizes technology effectively to conduct complex and difficult surgeries.
