Mainland rich go to Taiwan for checkups

Taiwan is luring well-off tourists from the mainland with quality health examinations and management packages.

Ever since Taiwan authorities launched a 15-day health/medical tourism permit for mainlanders last year, more than 30,000 people have traveled under the initiative, mainly for high-end physical checkups, cosmetic surgery or anti-aging therapies, according to the Taiwan External Trade Development Council.

The policy, issued last year, was aimed at broadening the island's health tourism market by attracting more customers from the mainland.

Currently, residents of 26 major cities on the mainland can travel to the island on an individual basis, while medical tourists can be from anywhere.

Hung Tzu-Jen, general manager of the Shin Kong Medical Club of Taiwan, one of the 39 authorized medical institutions to receive such tourists, said on Friday that it has received about 3,000 since the new rule was implemented.

Most were rich male entrepreneurs aged 45 to 55 from Jiangsu, Hebei and Fujian provinces, he said.

The hospital focuses on early screenings for cancer and cardiovascular diseases, which have become top killers across the country.

According to Hung, each customer spends 7,500 yuan ($1,230) on average for packages based on individual situations and needs.

Apart from advanced equipment, "quality services, a custom-oriented approach, the highlighting of preventive care and health management, as well as promotion are the real competitive advantages," he said.

One of their customers from Jiangsu said that instead of a medicine odor, the hospital gave off a pleasant coffee smell.