Start Date
6-1-2011 1:00 PM
End Date
6-1-2011 2:15 PM
Track
1. Track 1 – Formal Paper Presentation
Subject Area
Consumer Behavior
Faculty Member
Manisha Singal Assistant Professor of Strategy Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management Pamplin College of Business 362 Wallace Hall (0429) Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0429 Email: msingal@vt.edu Phone: (540) 231-4569 Fax: (540) 231-8313
Abstract
In this paper we discuss the demand triggers and the components of consumer decision making to undertake medical tourism i.e. travel to a foreign destination for the purpose of availing medical treatment and engaging in a vacation experience together. We develop a model that describes the macro facilitating factors, the pre-decision propensities, and the role of the different entities involved in the tourism experience that impact the decision from a stakeholder perspective. Our conceptual model provides several propositions for empirical testing as well as directions for future research on medical tourism, a rich context for tourism scholars.
Keywords
medical tourism, decision making, push and pull
Consumer Decision Components for Medical Tourism: A Stakeholder Approach
In this paper we discuss the demand triggers and the components of consumer decision making to undertake medical tourism i.e. travel to a foreign destination for the purpose of availing medical treatment and engaging in a vacation experience together. We develop a model that describes the macro facilitating factors, the pre-decision propensities, and the role of the different entities involved in the tourism experience that impact the decision from a stakeholder perspective. Our conceptual model provides several propositions for empirical testing as well as directions for future research on medical tourism, a rich context for tourism scholars.