Thailand Health & Wellness Tourism Showcase 2015

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) organized the Thailand Health & Wellness Tourism Showcase 2015 under the concept “Anti-Aging Tourism: The Next Big Thing in Health Tourism”, held from September 14 to 17, 2015. HEALTH
Magazine had the privilege of being represented at the event, which included an international trade conference and business networking meeting, in addition to industry visits and several informative presentations given by world renowned healthcare professionals.

The Event

The event showcased enlightening presentations on various interesting topics, specifically ‘Anti-aging Innovation in Thailand’, ‘Endotherapia: Discovering Your Body’s Inner Cell’, ‘Revitalize Your Life with Hormone Replacement Therapy’, ‘Nutraceutical: the Anti-aging Pill’, and ‘Cell Therapy: a Breakthrough in Anti-aging’.

The buyers also had the opportunity to discuss prospective business deals with the top 36 anti-aging and aesthetic providers in Thailand, including hospitals, anti-aging clinics, aesthetic clinics, plastic surgery clinics, medical spas, sport medicine centers, and health resorts.

On September 15 and 16, TAT organized an educational trip for the medical tourism facilitators, travel agencies, VIPs and members of the press to visit top anti-aging and aesthetic centers and test their services in Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya. It was truly a once-in-alifetime opportunity to see and experience some international health and wellness services and
products first-hand.

The event saw the participation of 30 international media including HEALTH magazine. In addition, around 50 medical tourism facilitators and travel agencies, including Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam attended the event. The VIPs guests included Dr. Khalid Hasan Hendawi from Qatar and Ms. Ling Ling, Miss International Queen 2014 from Laos.

The Anti-Aging Trend

Anti-aging medicine, also known as life extension science, is all about detecting, slowing down, preventing and even reversing the aging processes and re-capturing youth. Anti-aging programs include a whole health screening check-up that evaluates your overall medical condition, liver detoxifications, intravenous vitamin and antioxidant infusions, as well as chelation therapy, hormone replacement therapies, and innovative treatments including hyperbaric oxygen therapy and cell therapies.

Anti-Aging Global Market Trends

• The aging population is increasing across the world, and younger consumers are entering the market hoping to preserve their youth before the onset of aging.
• The development of more effective anti-aging formulas helps sustain the demand momentum.
• Consumers are increasingly sophisticated and global. They are ethically concerned, environmentally conscious, and keen on preventing aging through scientific progress.
• The increasing aging population across the world is driving the demand for anti-aging products and services and taking preventative measures to delay the signs of aging. Born between 1946 and 1964, there are approximately 450 million baby boomers worldwide.

Global Market Growth Trend at a Glance

• The U.S. market for anti-aging products and service is projected to grow 25 percent by the end of 2015.
• The European market for antiaging products and service is projected to grow 43 percent by the end of 2015.
• The Asia-Pacific market for antiaging products and service is projected to grow 20 percent by the end of 2015.

One of the World Health

Organization’s “10 global health targets for the 21st century” is “to achieve an increase in life expectancy and in the quality of life for all.” It is predicted that, by the year 2029, advancements in stem cell research, therapeutic cloning, and nanotechnology will be harnessed into applications that improve and extend the human life span. In this regards, Anti-Aging Medicine is anticipated to have a profound and permanent impact on the future of preventative health care.

Thailand as the Premier Anti-Aging Tourism Destination

1. Thailand has adopted the best technology and the most innovative anti-aging treatment programs in the world.
2. More than one hundred American board-certified antiaging doctors now practice in Thailand, ensuring availability of the highest medical standards.
3. Thailand has a wide variety of anti-aging and aesthetic clinic facilities in the modern city of Bangkok, or near the beach in Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui, and Hua Hin; or in the culturally rich city of Chiang Mai.
4. Thais are famous the world over for their warmth and hospitality; their compassion and caring touch contribute to the overall patient experience.
5. One of the many advantages of getting a check-up in Thailand is the speed at which one receives the lab results, enabling a rapid diagnosis so the medical treatment can proceed immediately.
6. Thailand features a wide range of accommodation options; from five-star luxury hotels to budget serviced apartments for medical tourists who need long stay recovery.
7. Although prices are very attractive in Thailand, the quality of the health care is of the highest value.
8. The overall experience is outstanding, with great destination appeal for leisure activity during treatment

The Scope

The opportunities in the antiaging market are vast, with the global market estimated to be worth $292 billion by 2015.
Furthermore, the proportion of the world’s population aged 60 or over currently stands at 10 percent, but this figure is expected to more than double to 22 percent by 2050.