Healthcare Tourism on the rise in the Caribbean

In Caribbean Journal, an online news source, Curaçao-based development consultants, Miguel Goede and Runy Calmera, cite opportunities ranging from the film industry, higher education to ecotourism and sports, and note the special advantages of medical tourism.

 

"Healthcare tourism based on niche markets is an opportunity, as the Cayman Islands is currently doing with Health City Cayman Islands," the consultants reported, adding that "new hospitals could be built with two audiences in mind: locals and health tourists - meaning a better quality of care at home and additional revenue."

Shomari Scott, Health City's Marketing Director, thanked the writers for spotlighting Health City, as well as other sustainable development opportunities for the region, such as green energy and the blue economy which, among others, promotes generating energy from the ocean.

 

"These are two areas that we have fully embraced at Health City," said Scott, who asserted Health City Cayman Islands was built with sustainability and safety in mind. The tertiary care hospital, for example, was constructed to be highly energy efficient and to include hurricane protection standards.

Scott added Health City is working with the Cayman Islands Government to allow the installation of an incineration facility for medical waste. "Given that there is only one incinerator on the island, this will not only provide a second incineration option but it will also reduce transport of potentially harmful waste."

 

The Health City executive also reported that salt water air conditioning, "an extremely efficient, cutting edge, zero emission technology will be introduced at Health City and will reduce our power demand by approximately 50 percent."

Last December, Global News Matters, which produces the fortnightly Market Dynamics Caribbean newsletter, listed Health City Cayman Islands as one of the top five Caribbean investment opportunities to watch in 2015.