A qualitative analysis of Singapore's medical tourism competitiveness

Medical tourism, a rapidly growing market, has been recognized by many countries as a potential sector for economic diversification. Although Singapore stands out as one of the top destinations of medical tourism, investigation regarding its competitiveness has been limited and narrow in scope. This case study takes a qualitative approach to identify and analyze the factors that position Singapore as a competitive medical tourism destination. Based on a holistic approach, this study has shown that integrating diverse strategies for medical tourism development with sound government policies and proactive management practices have led to significant positive outcomes towards mutual success of tourism, healthcare and other economic sectors of Singapore. Additionally, the study provides strategic insights to drive lasting improvements in both public and private sectors of aspiring countries through efficient management and intelligent utilization of resources within and outside the medical tourism sector. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.