Artificial Intelligence-Driven Enhancements in Medical Tourism: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Prospects

1. Introduction

Medical Tourism refers to the practice of clients traveling globally to acquire medical treatment due to the rapid expansion of the sector. Tourists receive medical attention and also have the opportunity to see unique cultural, historical, and geographical attractions in the host nations (Mueller & Kaufmann, 2001). Medical tourism should be considered a subset within health tourism. Medical tourism involves individuals traveling to another nation to receive medical, dental, or surgical treatment, as defined by the Medical Tourism Association (2011). The quality of care provided would be on par with or superior than the care available in their home country. Medical tourism and its associated activities are considered very lucrative ventures within the hospitality industry of numerous countries, especially developing ones (Han & Hyun, 2015).

The growing popularity of medical tourism has attracted the attention of policy makers, researchers, and the media. The term originally referred to patients who travel from less developed countries to developed countries to receive treatment not available in their home country. This industry is growing rapidly, becoming a global trend and contributing billions of dollars to the economy. Although it represents a small niche market in the broader tourism sector, its impact is significant (Ghasemi et al., 2021). Health tourism can be broadly interpreted as any type of tourism that emphasizes fun and incorporates stress-reducing activities. This suggests that health tourism provides fun and energizing encounters. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and methods are playing an important role in improving patient well-being by providing them with advanced self-care resources. Artificial intelligence empowers individuals to take responsibility for their own health and well-being and improves healthcare professionals' understanding of patients' daily patterns and needs. This increased understanding allows us to provide more effective feedback, guidance, and support to promote overall well-being (Horne et al., 2020). Incorporating artificial intelligence improvements into the medical tourism sector presents a variety of potential benefits, barriers and opportunities for growth. The potential of artificial intelligence to revolutionize global healthcare is demonstrated by its profound impact on personalized medicine, telemedicine and research. However ethical, privacy and regulatory issues must be carefully considered if the benefits of AI in medical tourism are to be leveraged in a responsible and comprehensive manner thereby contributing significantly to medical advances around the world.