Strategies to Increase Health Tourism Attraction from Iraq with Emphasis on Financial Investment and Smart Marketing in Ilam Province

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Management, Payame Noor University; Tehran; Iran

2 Assistant Professor of Regional Studies, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran

3 PhD Student in Information Technology Management, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Industrial Engineering, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Medical tourism in Ilam Province has significant potential but remains
underutilized, particularly among Iraqi patients. This study examines effective strategies
for developing medical tourism, focusing on financial investment and smart marketing to
enhance competitiveness.
Methods: A mixed-methods approach was applied. The qualitative phase used thematic
analysis via MAXQDA 2020, analyzing semi-structured interviews with 18 experts (6 hospital
managers, 5 university professors, and 7 private sector professionals’ data were collected in
2025). The screening phase involved 12 specialists (4 senior executives, 5 academic researchers,
and 3 marketing consultants). The quantitative phase collected 128 questionnaires from
employees of Ilam’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization, analyzed using SPSS 21.
Results: In the qualitative phase, a total of 38 strategies were identified within two main
subthemes—19 strategies related to financial investment attraction and 19 to smart
marketing—which were confirmed by expert consensus through the fuzzy Delphi method.
In the quantitative phase, using Friedman’s test, financial strategies received a higher
average ranking (mean rank: 18.65) compared to marketing strategies (12.39). The topranked
items overall included the health economic zone, five-year tax exemptions, and a
loan guarantee fund.
Conclusion: Advancing medical tourism in Ilam requires the simultaneous prioritization
of financial incentives (such as special economic zones and tax exemptions) and innovative
digital marketing. Streamlining investment procedures, developing multilingual digital
platforms, and strengthening public-private partnerships are essential steps to increase
foreign patient attraction. These integrated strategies will help position Ilam as a competitive
destination in the regional health tourism market.

Highlights

Nabi Omidi (Google Scholar)

Mohammad Reza Omidi (Google Scholar)

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Health Management & Information Science
Volume 12, Issue 4
October 2025
Pages 258-266

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