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2EURASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES
Innovative Academy Research Support Center UIF = 8.3 | SJIF = 5.995 www.in-academy.uz
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDICAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF
UZBEKISTAN Fayzieva M.M. Rasulova N. F. Shorustamova M. M. Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute, Uzbekistan https://www.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10550961
ABSTRACT
ARTICLE INFO
Received: 15th January 2024 Accepted: 21th January 2024 Online: 22th January 2024
KEY WORDS Family, medical tourism, development, economy,
promotion, image, country.
The development of the medical tourism segment will inevitably lead to the development of the economy and improve the country's image in the international arena. Accordingly, it is necessary to pay attention to the associated infrastructure, marketing, attracting specialists and training the staff of medical institutions. First of all, the reforms should affect medical institutions, health centers and boarding houses. Diversification of tourist services is an important area of strengthening the competitiveness of not only an individual business entity, but also the national tourism of the country.
Topicality. Of course, the absolute advantages of tourism in Uzbekistan are its unique nature, climate, history, traditions, hospitality, architecture of cultural heritage sites, and the presence of religious pilgrimage centers. This is an integral part of the practical programs of all tours to Uzbekistan. Increased competition in global tourism markets also affects the state of development of national tourism. The demand for tourist services is growing and the requirements for its types and quality of provision are changing accordingly. In the post-pandemic period, the demand for medical tourism around the world began to grow. Moreover, this is due to the desire not only to relax during the vacation period, but also to combine rest with rehabilitation and treatment of diseases that could have been postponed. Medical tourism in Uzbekistan is a new and promising area of the hospitality industry. Today, Uzbekistan has modern medical centers offering inpatient and outpatient services, surgical treatment and dental care at affordable prices, and most of these centers provide services based on international insurance. In the current conditions of overcoming the consequences of the pandemic, the priority task of the state is to restore national tourism as soon as possible and consistently increase the competitiveness of the industry based on the transition of tourism from the traditional to the investment model of development. This approach corresponds to the Concept of development of the tourism sector in the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2019-2025 [2] and the Concept of Development of the health system of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 20192025. The adoption of these concepts was due to positive changes in the development of national tourism, increasing its competitiveness and the government's desire to ensure sustainable tourism growth.
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES
Innovative Academy Research Support Center UIF = 8.3 | SJIF = 5.995 www.in-academy.uz
Objective: To study the state of affairs in the field of medical tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan in order to identify the most important positive and negative factors in the development of this sphere with a view to its further improvement.
Materials and methods of research. In the process of writing the dissertation, the following research methods were used: statistical, analytical, questionnaire method. At the first stage, the analysis of the legislative and legal database in the field of medical tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan was carried out, as well as a comparative analysis of the statistical database of the Republic of Uzbekistan with foreign countries. At the second stage, interviews were conducted among the management and staff of medical tourism companies engaged in medical tourism.
Research results: An analysis of the experience of foreign countries in the field of medical tourism has shown that South Korea, for example, has become one of the leaders in medical tourism not due to its unique nature, but due to advanced treatment methods and, especially, achievements in the field of surgical cosmetology. Similarly, with other top destinations-Israel, Germany, USA, France. The analysis of cases in the field of medical tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan revealed a number of problems such as: the lack of a system of interrelations between the Ministry of Health, the Federation Council of Trade Unions,the National Company "Uzbektourism" on medical and health tourism, as well as medical rehabilitation(87.9%); the lack of international accreditation of leading medical institutions, the solution of the issue of insurance for persons receiving medical services (93%)both within our country and abroad, taking into account all the risks that may arise during and after treatment. As well as problems of organizing transfers(36.2%), interpreters(39.6%), special wards(50%), personal nurses(32.7%), additional places for accompanying persons(60.3%), purchasing SIM cards by foreign citizens(15.5%), maintaining communication with the attending physician after the end of treatment, etc. return to their home country(72.4%). A huge number of factors and indicators of competitiveness are associated with the specifics of the tourist product. The tourist product of the destination region, in contrast to the goods and services produced by firms, is complex. It consists of the services consumed by the tourist, which are produced by a group of enterprises: hotels, restaurants and cafes, transport, tour bureaus, and the entertainment industry. In addition to paid services, tourists consume free goods (climate, landscapes, air) and public goods produced by municipal enterprises and organizations: safety, cleanliness, tourist information. Tourists evaluate all travel experiences based on the parameters of cost and quality, accessibility and safety, comfort and usefulness, and the uniqueness of the experience. Accordingly, the problem of a country's competitiveness in the tourism market depends both on the activities of tourism industry enterprises and on the targeted impact of state and regional government bodies on changing factors that are important for tourists for the better (turning resources into market supply, more benefits, more amenities). An integrated approach to the development of tourism in the region allows partners to coordinate their policies and actions, develop and implement activities that help them compete for consumers. Therefore when discussing the competitiveness of a tourist organization it is impossible to consider it without the competitiveness of the destination and tourism. This relative property of an organization occurs only when there are competitive conditions both in the region and in the country as a whole.
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES
Innovative Academy Research Support Center UIF = 8.3 | SJIF = 5.995 www.in-academy.uz
Conclusions. Improving competitiveness and sustainability (developing tourism infrastructure and improving the quality of services provided, diversifying products and markets, promoting domestic tourism). The interest of the government, regulators, and the local community in the development of tourism creates fundamental conditions for the formation of competition in the market of tourist services.The development and implementation of the Concept of year-round tourism in Uzbekistan will raise the level of competitiveness of national tourism, open up new destinations in the republic, raise the relevance, prestige and profitability of domestic tourism. Of course, all this is possible on the basis of the transition to an innovative and investment model of competitiveness.
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