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.
10.30476/jhmi.2025.107526.1290
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 top-ranked 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.
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