Driving Global Medical Tourism Growth: A Validated Marketing Model for Sustainable Development in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Marketing Management, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

2 Department of Business Management, Bonab Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bonab, Iran

3 Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran

4 Department of Business Management, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Medical tourism is a rapidly growing sector in the global tourism industry,
driving nations to develop strategic plans to capitalize on its potential. This study aimed
to design and validate a marketing model tailored to medical tourism in East Azerbaijan
Province, Iran, to support sustainable growth in this sector.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, divided into two phases. The first
phase used Sandelowski and Barroso’s (2007) meta-synthesis methodology to identify key
components of medical tourism marketing. The second phase validated the model through
content validity, reliability, and construct validity assessments. A questionnaire based on the
model’s components was completed by 382 foreign tourists visiting East Azerbaijan for health
services, selected via census sampling. Statistical analyses were conducted using Excel 2016,
AMOS, and SPSS version 21.
Results: The model comprised five dimensions, ten components, and forty items. Content
Validity Ratio (CVR) exceeded 0.62, with Content Validity Index (CVI) and modified kappa
values of 0.91 (relevance) and 0.92 (clarity). Cronbach’s alpha (>0.7) confirmed strong reliability.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported a five-factor structure: quality of services,
price, development of tourism and medicine, facilities and equipment, and information
technology. Fit indices were suitable (CFI=0.91, CMIN/DF=2.923, RMSEA=0.078).
Conclusion: The validated model is suitable for medical tourism marketing and can guide
East Azerbaijan officials in enhancing health tourism development, attracting foreign tourists,
and improving promotional efforts. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge
on sustainable medical tourism strategies, offering a framework for global application.

Keywords

Main Subjects

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Health Management & Information Science
Volume 12, Issue 1
January 2025
Pages 20-31

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