Latvia’s health tourism sector urges marketing over Middle East outreach

Latvia’s Health Minister Hosam Abu Meri is seeking to promote health tourism through meetings with ambassadors from Middle Eastern countries, but industry representatives are sceptical, LSM reported. They said patients from these countries rarely come to Latvia and called for clearer targets and more practical work to attract foreign patients.

During meetings with ambassadors, Abu Meri usually discusses several of Latvia’s health-related interests, including medical education, cooperation in science and other areas at European Union level, and health tourism.

Health tourism was also discussed in a meeting with Egypt’s ambassador to Latvia, Nagla Nagib. However, the ambassador showed no interest in the subject, Abu Meri said.

“You understand, it also takes longer to fly here. Egypt is a huge country, and it is developing as well. To be honest, medical care there is also cheaper than in Latvia,” the minister said.

‘We are unlikely to be a target country’

Healthcare providers involved in health tourism are also sceptical about cooperation with Egypt.

Māris Rēvalds, chairman of the board of the Health Center 4 medical centre, pointed to cultural and economic differences. He said cooperation would require a tailored approach and dedicated facilities, while Latvia has so far focused more on medical treatment.

“I am not very convinced that we will be a target country for them. Such countries have never been target countries for medical tourism organisations, such as the Latvian Health Tourism Cluster. We are realists and look at the countries from which these tourists traditionally come,” Rēvalds said.

“Egypt is not a very wealthy country either. But there are wealthy Arab countries. We see that they travel in a different direction, and we need to work with them in a completely different way from what we are used to here,” he added.

Kristers Dzenis, head of the dentistry department at the Sirowa Riga clinic, said that preliminary tests and examinations are often needed before a tourist arrives. These would take place in the patient’s home country and require high-quality healthcare there, as well as a willingness to visit a doctor in that country.

Gunita Reidemane, head of the Jurmala Medical Centre, said the pool of patients should be expanded.