Applications of social media for medical tourism marketing: an empirical analysis

ABSTRACT

Medical tourism has grown extensively over the past decade. Although social media is perceived to be an effective communication channel for both tourists and tourism providers, empirical analyses of how social media are used for medical tourism marketing are rare. Based on the “6Is” Social Media Monitoring Framework, this study examines how medical tourism providers distribute information, engage with online users, and influence the travel decisions of potential medical tourists. Findings indicate that medical tourism providers performed well in maintaining customer intimacy, although could do more to stimulate customer involvement, interaction, and gather customer insights. The study discusses ways to improve social media marketing.

KEYWORDS:

• Medical tourism
• social media
• content analysis
• digital marketing
• tourism marketing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Surej John

Surej P John is a marketing professional and an Assistant Professor of Marketing worked in both managerial and academic positions mainly in India, Thailand and New Zealand. His areas of research include marketing of tourism services, digital marketing and customer relationship management. His tourism articles were published in leading journals including the Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, International Journal of Tourism Policy, and Tourism Review International.

Roy Larke

Roy Larke is an expert in Japanese distribution, retailing and consumer markets. He currently works at Waikato Management School, University of Waikato.

Mark Kilgour

Mark Kilgour has worked extensively throughout South-East Asia & Australasia in both private consultancy and academic positions. His main areas of research include advertising, social media marketing, and creativity. He has published in leading journals including the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, the Journal of Advertising Research, the Journal of Advertising, and Creativity Research Journal.