Medical tourism is often as much about the tourism as the medicine. For those undergoing major surgery, there is no better place to recover than a bungalow with a view of the beach while receiving your physical therapy (or massage). Similarly, for family accompanying a patient a week at the beach or a shopping spree can clear up a lot of stress following a surgery. South Africa offers safari medical tourist packages, where a family visits for treatment followed by a wildlife safari. Individual hospitals will often have associated travel agents that will arrange all manner of getaways following an operation.
For those not going under the knife, there is even more incentive to be a medical tourist. Given the cost of dentistry, the savings for even minor work can cover the cost of the trip. Many regular medical tourists will plan their physical exams, dental work and other minor services, like cosmetic surgery, and bundle them in with a weeklong beachside vacation in the tropics. Overall, their vacation is still cheaper that having the services in the US. Many companies are also appreciating this strategy, sending employees on vacations to save on medical costs and saving on health insurance while giving their workers care they otherwise might not have access to.
Another factor is not only the availability of cutting edge treatments but also the availability of common surgeries. In state-run health programs like those in Canada or the UK, waiting lists can extend to more than a year for essential surgery and past three for non-essential surgery. With a well-planned tour, most surgeries can be conducted within days of landing and consultation in any of the medical tourism hubs. If payment for the treatment is covered by the state program, as most medically essential operations are, medical tourism is the obvious choice for Canadians and Britons.