New health tourism chief expects Malaysia to rebuild strongly
The pandemic may have ravaged the healthcare industry , but the agency charged with promoting it is undaunted and planning for recovery
The growth and progress of the industry are chiefly attributed to its healthcare ’ s proposition that offers world-class quality , ease of accessibility , and competitive affordability
It ’ s been less than eight months since Mohd Daud Mohd Arif was appointed chief executive of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council ( MHTC ), and the journey has been every bit as challenging as he anticipated .
Prior to joining the government agency charged with developing and promoting the Malaysian healthcare travel industry in the global market , Mohd Daud served as a senior director of Tourism Policy and International Affairs Division at the Ministry of Tourism , Arts and Culture Malaysia . He was also the “ lead shepherd ” of the APEC Tourism Working Group , a platform for Asia-Pacific tourism administrators to share information , exchange views , and develop areas of cooperation .
Now at MHTC , he ’ s responsible for leading and overseeing all aspects of the organisation ’ s operations , including promoting Malaysia ’ s healthcare travel industry and raising its profile as a leading global destination for healthcare .
With his considerable experience in the tourism sector , he believes his most critical function will be leading the sector ’ s recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic .
“ I would say that my most important task is to ensure that MHTC as an organisation contributes its best and works hand in hand with publicprivate healthcare players in Malaysia to eradicate the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all for the betterment of our people and the global nation ,” Mohd Daud told Global Health Asia-Pacific .
“ From the get-go , I ’ ve been aware of the work cut out for us owing to the damage that COVID-19 continues to wreak over the industry globally ,” he added . “ Having worked with MHTC during my previous stint , I walked into my new role with a firm grasp of Malaysia Healthcare ’ s capabilities and potential . This understanding quickly blossomed into a vision which I firmly believe can drive the industry back to its former glory .”
Malaysia has built a strong reputation as a safe and trusted leading global destination for healthcare travel over the past decade . The growth and progress of the industry are chiefly attributed to its healthcare ’ s proposition that offers world-class quality , ease of accessibility , and competitive affordability .
Malaysia ’ s position as a favourable healthcare travel destination has also been buttressed by its seamless end-to-end services , strategic position as a Muslim-friendly nation , and warm hospitality and tourism attractions . These will continue to be important factors as the country anticipates the reopening of international borders . The industry ’ s main focus will be on patients from Indonesia , China , Vietnam , Cambodia , Singapore , and Brunei .
“ As an industry that relies heavily on international travel , the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly put a dent in the industry and players in the value chain , owing to lockdowns and border restrictions ,” said Mohd Daud . “ More concerning is the inability to provide continuity of care to those who travel frequently from other countries for timely treatments , such as cardiac and cancer patients .”
While numbers are still being finalised , MHTC expects that in 2020 , Malaysia will have earned around RM780 million ( US $ 186 million ) in health tourism revenues , which is around 60 percent lower than its pre-pandemic projection for the year . Based on new
Malaysia has built a strong reputation as a leading healtcare travel destination
40 OCTOBER 2021 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com