Creating medical tourism business competitive advantage in Thailand

Abstract

The topic of this research is the study of the changes of tourism maket in Thailand that has an effect on the tourist's behavior. The problem concerns the decision making of tourists, the information accessibility and the attitude of tourists, the expectation and the satisfaction concerning Medical tourism. This qualitative research explained the tourists' attitude and the creation of competitive advantage from customers' perspectives as tourist in the medical tourism business. In the depth-interview of tourists, the decision making process, the expectation and satisfaction of customers in medical tourism were explained and measured based on the understanding of customer and the pre/post experience of the medical tourism service. The objectives of this research were to create the service repurchasing, Internet information sharing, and the media accessibility for tourists and perspective who would like to travel in Thailand, and other related topics concerning medical tourism in Thailand. In conclusion, the group of author argues that the information accessibility in this medical tourism to local and global tourists are limited and the business owners and others should play important role to effectively present the idea and concept of the medical tourism to the prospects and the existing customers in order to generate more income and gain more distribution channels. Finally, the group of author identify the creation of the competitive advantage of medical tourism by reacting to the customer's requests and requirements and also the information providing and accessibility throughout the media channels. Moreover, creating the brand image and cooperating with government for the medical tourism theme under the government support in thecurrent national development plan would make substantially different from the existing situation for all of the players in this market.