CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS HEALTH TOURISM IN MALAYSIA

“Medical tourism can be considered a kind of import: instead of the product coming to the consumer, as it does with cars or sneakers, the consumer is going to the product.”(James Surowiecki)

This research is focused on the customer perception towards the Health Tourism in Malaysia; meanwhile, the research will also consider the issues in developing nations, while restorative tourism could be one of the courses of action.

According to Abdullah (2012), the customer perception towards the health tourism In Malaysia can depend on some factors which are cost, quality, types of treatment and availability, marketing impact and last but not least the lack of the access to some specific treatment in the home country.

With the emergence of the global medical tourism industry, this research study aims to examine the various factors that affect the choices and decisions of international medical tourists in choosing Malaysian hospitals as their main destination in receiving medical treatments.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

To develop a speculative structural model of health tourism in Malaysia

To trial test the hypothetical model of associations among grow by using

overall vacationers making an excursion to Malaysia for health

purposes.

1• To examine the structural relationship of health tourism and the

customer perception towards it.

2

• To review the coordinating effect of worldwide health tourists' repeat visit on relationship amidst motivation and saw destination picture, saw quality and saw worth, saw quality and general satisfaction.

3

• To endorse health tourism systems to Malaysia, remembering the deciding objective to energize the health tourists wishes and strengthens the organizations for future competition.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

How does the customer perception affect the health tourism structure, and the relationship between these two?

How can the perception of health tourists formulate after revisiting the destination? Whether the countries picture, destination attractiveness, service quality and satisfaction is the motivation factor for health tourists?

How can Malaysia improve and be competitive in health tourism, by considering the factors that affect the decision making process of health tourists?

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

PROBLEM STATEMENT

A growing number of medical patients are in search for country destinations, where

hospitals offer high quality health care at a more affordable price (Teh & Chu,2005).

Additionally, restricted examination has assessed the client viewpoint on remedial tourism regarding motivational variables

and the decision making technique.

As in the tourism and settlement industry, the client is one of the key parts in

measuring achievement of a business operation.

The eventual outcome of this study will add to the advancement of health tourism industry the degree that hypothetical and sound learning.

Accommodating Contribution

Understanding the methodology of client decision making and how it can be connected with supportive tourism, especially, will help business visionaries

try for their associations to raise customer unwavering quality.

This study will add to the current health tourism literature by surrendering and building a superior valuation for client’s

particular than the health tourism industry.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH

DEFINITION

Medical tourism can be considered a kind of import: instead of the product coming to the consumer, as it does with cars or sneakers, the consumer is going to the product. (James Surowiecki)

LITERATURE REVIEW

As showed by Goodrich, health tourism may be depicted as "the cognizant try from a vacationer office (e.g. hotels) or destination to attract voyagers by pushing social protection affiliations and workplaces despite standard guest kindnesses (Goodrich, 1993).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Customer Perceptions

Theory

Independent Variable 1: Destination Competitiveness

AUTHOR YEAR EXPLANATION

Carter R, Fabricius M

Ed, P Keller

2007

1998

"Destination is a physical territory where the visitor spends no under one night. It contains excursion destinations, things, and related organizations that are critical to meet the stay of a vacationer in the spot in any occasion for one day".

“A destination is a travel objective which the client wishes to visit because of particular attractions it offers. These can be normal or manufactured; existing before tourism or made for the vacationer".

H1: Destinations competitiveness are composed of specific

characteristics that attract visitors because of their “factual or

perceived attractiveness”

Independent Variable 2: Motivation

AUTHOR YEAR EXPLANATION

Crompton & McKay

Moscardo et al.

2007

2006

“Necessities push conduct and to comprehend inspiration, it is basic to find what those needs are and how they can be satisfied. It is neither the thing nor the association that individuals buy yet the yearning of luxuries and profits to fulfill needs”.

“The major relationship of a destination being picked more than a substitute is pushed by the exercises that a destination offers”.

H2: Motivational factors influence positively the health tourists

received image about the image of the country

Independent Variable 3: Satisfaction

AUTHOR YEAR EXPLANATION

Baltussen et al.

Mostafa

2002

2005

“Patient`s distinguishment and yearnings of nature are vital to understand the relationship between nature of thought and use of wellbeing affiliations“.

“Showing shrewdness and a sincere premium towards patients does not cost anything, yet can accumulate phenomenal benefits”.

H3: Health tourists received value will affect the perception

positively and the satisfaction overall

Independent Variable 4: Service Quality

AUTHOR YEAR EXPLANATION

Crompton & McKay

Yap

2007

2007

“It is neither the thing nor the association that individuals buy yet the yearning of luxuries and profits to fulfill needs “.

“Quality of health organizations where the idea accessible generally is seen to be of normal quality to the social security open abroad”.

H4: Health Tourists in Malaysia perceived value will help to

recommend by word of mouth which will lead to revisit of tourists.

Health Tourists` Revisit

Motivation

Destination competitiveness

Satisfaction

Service QualityDependent Variable

Independent Variable

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research Design - Descriptive ResearchData Source - Quantitative analysisMethodology - Survey type – Primary data collection

Population - The number of consumers in Malaysia

Sampling - stratified sampling where a random sample of specified size is drawn from each stratum of a population

Sample size - 380 customers Research Instrument - self-administered questionnaires

Cont…. Measurement Scale - 5 point rating scale (From “1=Strongly Disagree, 2= Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly Agree”)

Data collection method - Printed questionnaires will be used to get respondents directly from customers using mall intercept survey method.

Data Analysis - Structural equation modeling (SEM) Pre-testing / Pilot Study - 120 questionnaires will be distributed to health tourists in Klang Valley area. The survey will be coordinated in a sensible proximity inside the Klang Valley. The testing was additionally to guarantee that the measuring instrument had legitimacy, and the inquiries were effectively caught on.

Data Coding - The research questionnaires, dependent and independent variables will be coded in numerical basis.