An executive of the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) said they are pushing forward with efforts to put Cebu in the global map as a top health and wellness destination.
In an interview on Friday, DOT-7 supervising tourism operations officer Judilyn Quiachon said the agency has partnered with the regional offices of the Department of Health (DOH-7), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-7) and the private sector including Cebu’s leading tertiary hospitals, aesthetic clinics, dental associations, hotels, and spas to achieve this goal.
“We want to put Cebu in the map of leading medical tourism destinations locally and internationally, offering a wide array of healthcare services for all,” she said.
According to Quiachon, Cebu’s market attractiveness thrives on four factors – overall environment, tourism attractiveness, healthcare cost, and quality of medical facilities and services.
The top medical products and services availed by tourists in the province are executive check up, minimally invasive surgery, orthopedics, opthalmology, and aesthetic and cosmetic dental services.
She said that with the coordination of the government and private sectors, these services are now being sold to opportunity markets abroad namely USA, canada, Australia, and the Middle East.
“We are now aggressively promoting and selling these services through fam (familiarization) tours and other promotional efforts.”
Quiachon also noted that they are working with the Cebu Health and Wellness Council to monitor these efforts. She noted that among all provinces in the country, cebu has the most organized health and wellness council.