Medical tourism hamstrung by obsolete visa rules

December 4, 2013

India, long seen as a centre for cost-effective treatment by people around the world, is losing its competitive edge in the medical tourism space. The strict visa regime is making people give the country a miss in favour of other Southeast Asian nations like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia which, although costlier, are seen as more welcoming of medical tourists. While there are no studies to show how much business is being lost annually, experts say getting a medical visa to India is almost impossible without hassles. (Business Standard)