As the types and kinds of medical service expected from a medical tourism country may differ by nationalities (Chinese, Japanese, American) and treatment purposes (major illness, minor illness) of medical tourists, this study segments the medical tour...
As the types and kinds of medical service expected from a medical tourism country may differ by nationalities (Chinese, Japanese, American) and treatment purposes (major illness, minor illness) of medical tourists, this study segments the medical tourism market, which is prioritized in implementing medical tourism marketing, according to motivation factors. By analyzing how medical tourists select medical tourism countries with what motivation factors, it would provide the basic data which can be helpful for boosting medical tourism in the future. In order to segment the market focusing on motivation factors of medical tourism, this study drew a optimum market segmentation using BEMAX clustering analysis program among various analysis methods for market segmentation. The study also compared external validity of the market segmentation method.
The targets for the analysis were potential medical tourists of China, Japan and the US living in their countries. The questionnaire survey was conducted using both on-line survey and off-line survey for about 3 months from July 10th to September 20th in 2014. Totally 1,833 copies of questionnaires were collected, and excluding 112 copies with missing data or insincere responses, 1,721 copies were used in the final analysis.
The result of the analysis can be summarized as follows. First, the result of difference analysis of Push-Pull factor analysis showed that the Push-Pull factor importance of Minor illness medical tourism by nationalities had significant difference in all attributes except for ‘Various food of the country’, 'Safe environment', 'Hospital staff’s friendly medical service', 'Various opportunities for shopping' importance (p<.05). and the result of difference analysis of Push-Pull factor analysis showed that the Push-Pull factor importance of Major illness medical tourism by nationalities had significant difference in all attributes except for ‘Various food of the country’, 'Cultural similarity' importance (p<.05). Second, Push-Pull Factors had a significant difference between nationality and type of treatment (p<.05). Third, except for ‘with/without past experience of medical tourism in the preferred medical tourism countries in Asia’, the demographic features and medical tourism behavioral features all showed significant differences (p<.05).
Fourth, the study conducted cluster analysis by analytic situations using BEMAX program in order to segment the market according to Push-Pull motivation factors. In Analytic Situation 1, the result of conducting market segmentation by Push-Pull motivation factors of treatment purposes of Chinese respondents showed that major illness and minor illness both had 4 matching attributes. The hit ratio, when analyzed via push factors solely, was highest with minor illness 39.6% and major illness 59.3%. In Analytic Situation 2, the result of conducting market segmentation by Push-Pull motivation factors of treatment purposes of Japanese respondents showed that minor illness had 3 matching attributes. The hit ratio, when analyzed via Push-Pull factors, was highest with 64.0%. Major illness had 3 matching attributes, and the hit ratio, when analyzed via pull factors solely, was highest with 69.6%. In Analytic Situation 3, the result of conducting market segmentation by Push-Pull motivation factors of treatment purposes of American respondents showed that minor illness had 4 matching attributes. The hit ratio, when analyzed via Push factors solely, was highest with 37.0%. Major illness had 4 matching attributes, and the hit ratio when analyzed via Push-Pull factors was highest with 28.3%.
Fifth, the study compared results of K-means cluster analysis and BEMAX analysis by nationalities and treatment purposes in order to compare external validity of the market segmenting method in the market segmentation based on motivation factors of medical tourism. Overall, BEMAX cluster analysis had similar or somewhat higher hit ratio compared to K-means cluster analysis. Sixth, in order to determine optimum criterion variable, the study conducted market segmentation by nationalities and treatment purposes. In the case of Chinese, when the criterion variable was segmented via Push factors solely, the hit ratio was highest with minor illness 45.1% and major illness 62.1%. In the case of Japanese, when the criterion variable for minor illness was segmented via Push-Pull factors and when the criterion variable for major illness was segmented via Pull factors solely, the hit ratio was highest with minor illness 65.3% and major illness 70.6%. In the case of Americans, when the criterion variable for minor illness was segmented via Push-Pull factors and when the criterion variable for major illness was segmented via Pull factors solely, the hit ratio was highest with minor illness 39.9% and major illness 29.5%. Seventh, to obtain comprehensive understanding between Asian medical tourism countries and medical tourism motivation factors, the study used correspondence analysis. The result of the analysis showed that Push-Pull motivation factors by Asian medical tourism countries had differences.
In the conclusion, the researcher summarized results of the study, presented practical and theoretical implications in order to contribute enhancement of values and competitive advantage of medical tourism products of the future through the research on market segmentation by motivation factors of medical tourism, and discussed the limitations of this study and tasks for future studies.
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