인천의료관광 추진현황 및 활성화방안 연구

Abstract

In relation to the international medical tourism market, Korea’s market accounts for an inadequate ratio, however, as the medical tourism industry is an economically prominent industry in comparison to (the profit earned via) general tourism, the country’s political interest and support strategies are needed. Of course, to date, each government department has been improved as well as institutional issues. However, due to the unsatisfactory state, undoubtedly, the medical tourism participants and professionals are continuously demanding improvement in many areas. In essence, in comparison to the central office group who maintains the primary policy authority, regional government organizations (taking into consideration the influence and effect of medical tourism on the regional economy) hold an active interest in medical tourism. However, the support measures are indirect and due to the uncertainty of the justification of support and the potential for development, in truth, it is difficult to expect a great result. Nonetheless, local government organizations are taking action city-by-city with the proposition of regional economic vitalization in a variety of ways, although, besides the metropolitan areas, medical tourism cannot be perceived as thoroughly promoted. Currently, support for medical tourism is being promoted in a variety of ways including advertising and marketing and as it is similar and overlapping between most local government organizations, it is hard to expect a great result in the long term. Incheon Metropolitan City is the first regional government organization to establish a Medical Tourism Foundation and is enthusiastically pursuing it, and as it is using a medical tourism policy establishment differentiated from other cities, in geographical and environmental terms, it can be perceived as having great potential for growth. Accordingly, researchers aim to assist in making Incheon city’s medical tourism more systematic and effectively pursued and seek to study factors that will develop the city into a highly recognized destination for the medical tourism market as a result of a differentiated product plan.