QUEZON City is very ripe to take on the challenge of medical tourism, according to Mayor Herbert Bautista.
“Quezon City is truly a medical and wellness destination,” he told participants during Tuesday’s 1st Quezon City Medical Tourism Stakeholders Summit at the Seda Hotel Vertis North.
Some of the best hospitals in the country started in Quezon City, the mayor noted, like St. Luke’s Medical Center, Capitol Medical Center, University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Medical Center, and even specialized hospitals like the Heart Center, Lung Center and National Kidney and Transplant Institute, among others.
“A good number of new hospitals, like the ones on Commonwealth and Mindanao avenues, serve as places to seek recovery and healing,” Bautista added.
Quezon City, the country’s premier highly urbanized city, is eyeing a slice of the world medical tourism market, which is projected to reach $143 billion by 2020.
“(The industry’s) growth is phenomenal, and the Philippines is poised to benefit because of our hospitality, skilled doctors and ready facilities. Quezon City wants to be part of it, and I want all of you to be part of this success story,” Bautista said.
He also signed the Quezon City Medical Tourism Vision 2020 Commitment.
Some of the highlights of the manifesto were the creation of a technical working group to lay out a clear direction on how the can become a preferred medical tourism destination; a one-stop directory of medical and wellness industry players such a hospitals, clinics, medical spas, fitness and therapy centers; medical tour package for the city-based travel agents; medical tourism hotline that can easily be accessed by both local and international clients, and incentives for medical tourism stakeholders.
“By 2020, Quezon City will be known as one of the best medical tourism destinations in the world. It is hoped that Quezon City’s accomplishment will reflect well on the Philippines’ standing in the world medical tourism market,” the manifesto read.
Divina Gracia Pascua, the city’s tourism officer, said “it is high time that we develop the city into a medical tourism destination.”
“We have at least three five-star hotels to accommodate those, along with their family members, seeking medical attention in our specialized hospitals. Quezon City is home to many globally competitive medical centers,” she added.