Medical tourism in South East Asia: science mapping of present and future trends
Asian Education and Development Studies
ISSN: 2046-3162
Article publication date: 5 July 2024
Issue publication date: 27 November 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study evaluates the knowledge structure of medical tourism within the geographical context of South East Asia. This region is one of the growing economic powerhouses in the world, and tourism activities have contributed a lot to its advancement.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying a science mapping technique using bibliometric analysis, the current and emerging themes and future trends are analyzed using bibliographic coupling and co-word analysis.
Findings
Findings show that current trends produced four themes: Fundamentals of medical tourism in Southeast Asia, determinants of tourist medical tourism visits, quality of medical and health service in Southeast Asia and impact of medical tourism on national economic growth. The future trends also produced four themes related to navigating excellence in medical tourism, medical tourism and economic growth, service quality in medical tourism services and accredited destinations in the globalized era of medical tourism.
Research limitations/implications
This study is relevant to all stakeholders, operators and local communities in Southeast Asia tourism destinations to provide the best medical tourism with the best quality service and technologies.
Originality/value
This study fills the gap by performing a bibliometric approach to reviewing medical tourism in Southeast Asia using a science mapping technique. Crucial themes are produced through topological and temporal streams that provide critical insight for future developments in medical tourism in the region.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Fundamental Research Grant (Grant No. RDU 220357).
Citation
Fauzi, M.A., Mohd Aripin, N., Alimin, N.S.N., Ting, I.W.K., Wider, W., Maidin, S.S. and Zainul Abideen, A. (2024), "Medical tourism in South East Asia: science mapping of present and future trends", Asian Education and Development Studies, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 393-411. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-04-2024-0093
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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