Medical tourism destination image: Scale development


Alp G., YILMAZ Y.

International Journal of Tourism Research, cilt.26, sa.4, 2024 (SSCI) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 26 Sayı: 4
  • Basım Tarihi: 2024
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/jtr.2723
  • Dergi Adı: International Journal of Tourism Research
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: destination trust, medical tourism, medical tourism destination image, scale development
  • Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

In response to heightened competition among destinations vying for medical tourists, these destinations have prioritized improving their image. Although several scales exist to assess destination images, there is a scarcity of scales specifically tailored to measure the image of medical tourism destinations. To address this gap, a thorough scale development process was employed, resulting in the creation of a second-order model known as the medical tourism destination image scale. This scale explores four dimensions: quality of doctors and hospitals, ease of travel and safety, variety of treatment, and communication. The findings underscore the significant potential for marketers and policymakers to enhance the attractiveness of medical tourism destinations.