Investigating medical tourism development indicators in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute: A cross-sectional study

Paying special attention to the development indicators of medical tourism (MT) can lead to the further development of this industry and tourists' satisfaction.

This study aimed to investigate MT development indicators in Yazd Reproductive Sciences Research Institute, Yazd, Iran in 2021.

In this cross-sectional study, 430 medical tourists referred to the Yazd Reproductive Sciences Institute, Yazd, Iran in 2021were studied. A researcher-made questionnaire with 46 questions and 10 dimensions was used in both internal and external environments to collect data. The Spearman correlation coefficient was also used to assess the correlation between the quantitative factors.

The reliability and validity of the scale were confirmed. The mean ± SD of the advertising and marketing index scored was lower than the other internal environmental indices (15.05 ± 2.16). Also, the economic factors and tourism infrastructure was lower than the other external environmental factors (9.8 ± 1.99, 8.53 ± 2.11, respectively). 

Given the importance of MT, top managers and relevant authorities should pay close attention to the criteria of advertising, marketing, and tourism infrastructure. MT demand can be improved by increasing the importance of advertising, implementing realistic advertising strategies, and developing adequate urban infrastructure and services.