AusLeisure

Peak inbound-tourism body the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) has formed an industry panel to develop the health and wellness travel sector in Australia and tap into the billion-dollar global health tourism industry.

ATEC Managing Director Matthew Hingerty said that with the ageing of Australia's key tourism markets and its domestic population, entry into the rapidly-developing global 'health tourism' market is critical for both the tourism and health sectors.

Highlighting a recent report by international consultants Deloittes, Hingerty recently highlighted that "medical travel from the US alone will be worth US$162 billion by 2012 (and) this does not include 'soft health' travel such as spa treatments and health checks."

Hingerty has advised that earlier this year KPMG demographer Bernard Salt presented ATEC with compelling evidence that Australia's key tourism markets are ageing, highlighting that a âbubbleâ of cashed-up baby boomers from the UK, US and even China will increasingly demand health services when they travel.

Hingerty added "it is critical that Australia understands and caters for these trends and, like other countries, we need to recognise that our ageing domestic population and narrowing tax base will place increasing strain on our health system.

"ATEC believes we can do an 'education' and build capacity into our private health system by tapping into export markets."

The ATEC Managing Director said Australian Governments had been slow to act on this developing trend to travel for health purposes, stating that "New Zealand has stolen a march on us with their Government backing private sector efforts to enter global travel markets. By contrast, Australian Governments of both shades have been slow to realise the potential benefits and implications.

"We fear this will impact our health system, as cashed-up offshore health providers bid heavily for the services of our well-regarded medical practitioners."

Hingerty said that ATEC's Health and Wellness Tourism Panel had adopted a strategic framework to develop both the 'soft' wellness industry and the surgery-based medical tourism industry.

ATEC's Discussion Paper 'Destination: Health' can be viewed at www.atec.net.au

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