New York Meet Explores Greece as Medical Tourism Destination

Photo: ucobserver.org

The prospects of establishing Greece into a leading medical tourism destination were discussed during a conference last week in New York, organised by the Athens Medical Association, the Central Union of Greek Municipalities and the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York.

Titled “Health Tourism in Greece and its Promising Prospects”, the event was attended by government officials, members of the Greek and US scientific and business communities, Diaspora Greeks, as well as tourism and health sector bodies, and explored Greece’s potential as a medical tourism destination.

“We will launch a series of actions and international contacts to promote health tourism in our country,” said Athens Medical Association president George Patoulis, referring to the national action plan for the development of health tourism.

Patoulis, who also heads the Panhellenic Medical Association’s tourism department, went on to stress the need to develop far-reaching strategies to promote Greece as a global medical tourism destination with the aim of creating new jobs, promoting major Greek cities as city break destinations, attracting high income patients and boosting medical tourism-related investments.

“Medical Tourism is a large industry and has rapidly developed on an international level. Greece can play an important role and acquire the market share it deserves,” Vassilis Apostolopoulos, CEO Athens Medical Centre, added.