Is Taiwan Asia's Next One-Stop Plastic-Surgery Shop?
By Sarah Tung Friday, Jul. 16, 2010
A woman gets facial laser treatment in a Taipei cosmetic-surgery clinic on Nov. 26, 2009
Patrick Lin / AFP / Getty Images
海外歸國的台灣人也許常被推薦到既香又美味多汁的路邊攤小吃，或是探索人聲踏雜的台灣夜市。但，也許他們最想去的卻是台灣整形手術或是皮膚專科診所。
Overseas Taiwanese who frequently return to the island might recommend savoring succulent street food or exploring Taipei's boisterous night markets. Or they may pass along the business card of a favorite plastic surgeon or dermatologist.
然而，當然要去！台灣有好一陣子已然成為海外移民返國的觀光醫療旅遊團目的地。由於台灣豐富的醫療照護設施，設備不但是新穎作工又精細。而且最重要的是，「價格」也成為一項最重要的考量。其中價差最大的「活體植入手術」 (liver-transplant surgery)，在台灣大約要價9.1萬，跟美國動輒要價30萬的高價比起來，還真是便宜不少！
And why not? Taiwan has long been popular with its expatriate population as a medical-travel destination. At Taipei's abundant health care facilities, the equipment is modern and sophisticated, and most importantly, prices are considered a steal. Some of the biggest savings are in liver-transplant surgery, which runs to around $91,000, compared with some $300,000 in the U.S. (Read about medical tourism in Latvia.)
像這樣的價格雖少，卻為台灣的手術旅遊市場帶來穩定的成長，況且這樣的價格，也是為了吸引更多的顧客。自從2008年中旬，中國大陸遊客來台限制緊縮，鄰近台灣海峽的各國鄰居都在無所不用其極的對台灣施加壓力。(這邊使用 making their way to the island for a nip or a tuck)現在，根據兩岸最新的一連串協議與讓步後，台北上周宣佈陸客將能獨自來台旅遊，這樣的結果，讓觀光醫療業者對相關產業發展相當樂觀。
Price tags like that have built a small but devoted following for Taiwan's niche medical-tourism market, and it's about to get a lot more customers. Taiwan's neighbors across the strait have been making their way to the island for a nip or a tuck since travel restrictions for Chinese tourists were lifted in mid-2008. Now, in the latest of a series of agreements and concessions between China and Taiwan, Taipei announced last week that Chinese tourists will soon be allowed to travel individually to the island — a development that many medical-tourism proponents are hoping will be a boon to their industry.
台灣現在的政策只允許陸客跟團來台旅遊，這也一併限制了陸客來台尋求醫療服務的多種可能性。「在陸客跟團來台旅遊的限制中，陸客被告知哪裡才能去，啥時才能去。他們被限制不能脫團行動。」台灣觀光醫療發展協會，同時也是整形外科醫師王篤行(David Wang) 說。「我聽說很多人用假名，或者以洽公的名義偷偷的來(作手術)。」「在我們這邊有很多陸客來台作整形手術行程，像是打『肉毒桿菌』(Botox)，割眼袋、割雙眼皮等等。」
Taiwan's current policy only permits controlled tour groups from the mainland, which limits options for Chinese who seek varied medical services. "Under group-travel restrictions, tourists are told where they can go and when. They can't deviate from the set itinerary," says David Wang, a plastic surgeon and chairman of the Taiwan Medical Tourism Development Association. "I've heard of a few people who will secretly come [for plastic surgery], perhaps under a fake name or by claiming they are here on business." Now, Chinese patients seeking operations can plan ahead and book Botox treatments and eye-bag or double-eyelid surgery at Wang's offices on their own schedule. (See the top 10 unusual medical treatments.)
相較於亞太地區的其他國家，台灣的醫療美容旅遊產業只能算是才剛起步。去年2009年這類外銷市場產值勉強上看2千萬美金，有鑑於其他像是新加坡、泰國等國家，在醫療美容產業上的投資，許多台灣醫療旅遊業者相信，未來仍有相當大的上揚空間。「相較於其他服務業，醫療美容業是投資率最高的。」雄獅旅遊陸客服務部的嚴子欽總經理說。雄獅旅遊是台灣最大的旅行社，去年花了一年半時間發展出專門的醫療旅遊服務中心。雄獅旅遊還和台灣最大的連鎖私人醫院機構──林口長庚醫院合作，並且將整個醫療美容包裝成一整個旅遊行程，向整個華人市場，甚至是全世界華人社會行銷。
Compared to those of its regional neighbors, Taiwan's medical-tourism industry is only in its infancy. Its output last year narrowly missed the $20 million mark, whereas revenue in more established Asian medical-travel industries, Singapore and Thailand, reached billions of dollars. Still, many enterprising people in Taiwan believe it has room to grow. "The dollar return per patient is the highest of any other business in the service industry," says Sammy Yen, general manager of Lion Travel's medical-tourism branch. Lion Travel, Taiwan's biggest travel agency, has spent the past year and a half building its medical-tourism services center. The company partnered with Chung Gung Medical Foundation, the largest private hospital chain on the island, and touts its newest business venture as the total package that caters to all hua ren, or members of the global Chinese community.(Comment on this story.)
陸客有潛力成為醫療旅遊市場的大宗。據台灣官方統計，2009年兩岸小三通，開放旅遊後，有超過92萬2千人的陸客來台手術。相較前幾年提高195%。此外，為促進兩岸交流貿易，上周中國航空官方宣佈，減少10%到15%的機場稅。預估今年將會有超過百萬的旅客造訪台灣，甚至陸客會爽快的掏空錢包，而這些錢將會進到台灣服務業者口袋中。
Mainland tourists could be a huge boost. According to Taiwan government statistics, just over 972,000 tourists from China journeyed to the tear-shaped island in 2009 — a 195% jump from the figure in the previous year, when the two sides made transit and tourism agreements. Further encouraging cross-strait exchanges, last month Chinese aviation officials announced a 10% to 15% reduction in airfares for flights between the two sides. With over a million projected to visit this year, even more mainlanders will be emptying their wallets into Taiwan's service sector.
王醫生，手術整形醫生。決定每個月到中國大陸旅遊，以精進他的手術技巧，而台灣像他這樣的醫生不只一個。。台灣許多野心勃勃的醫療美容業者，經常來返兩岸，希望能吸引更多陸客造訪台灣進行醫療美容旅遊。「不是很多人都知道台灣的健保制度的品質」台灣國際醫療網執行長吳明彥說。「我們的願望就是將台灣的服務業塑造成知名品牌，並且在國際間享有聲譽。」
Wang, the plastic surgeon, already travels to China about once a month to promote his practice, and he isn't the only one. Many enterprising proponents of Taiwan's medical tourism have been making the cross-strait journey in the hopes that they, too, might entice more mainlanders to seek medical care on the island. "Not many people know about the quality of Taiwan's health care system," says Richard Wu, CEO of Taiwan Task Force for Medical Travel. "It's our priority to first put out Taiwan as a brand name and then promote individual hospitals for services."
事實上，未來只有消費者到台灣是自助旅行，不是用跟團的方式，才能幫助台灣服務業發展。「沒有人會想要跟團，這表示要大剌剌的跟大家說你是來台灣作整形手術、或是作其他醫療的。」「但若是自助旅行，你可以很大方的跟鄰居說，你是來台灣渡假。」
The fact that these customers will now be able to travel to Taiwan solo will only help. "No one would join a group tour that lets everyone else know they are going for plastic surgery or other medical reasons," Yen says. "With individual travel, you can just tell your neighbor you are going to Taiwan for vacation."
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