Foreign government officials are visiting China in growing numbers to tout their medical tourism sectors as the industry becomes a hotspot for overseas investment from the nation.
Paul R. LePage, governor of the US state of Maine, told the Global Times on Saturday that his government welcomes more investment from China, including medical tourism, although education, aviation and manufacturing have been the top three sectors for Chinese investment there so far.
He made the comment at an investment forum in Beijing, noting that Maine has strong research and development institutions such as Jackson Laboratories and the Foundation for Blood Research, and the region has a wealth of forest reserves and an advanced biotechnology sector. All of these are attractive to wellness tourists, he noted.
According to speakers at the forum, a joint project co-developed by the Beijing-based Seven Ocean Investment Ltd and the Central Maine Medical Center in Maine has started a project in the state, and it is expected to come into operation within two years.
Peter E. Chalke, president and CEO of Central Maine Healthcare, told the Global Times on Saturday that the project will introduce Chinese medical treatments to better serve clients.
Wellness travel has become popular in recent years. The Chinese Luxury Traveler 2015 report released in June by Hurun, which conducts research into affluent households, said 60 percent of wealthy Chinese males have traveled for medical treatment and nearly 60 percent of the nation's billionaires prefer the hospitals overseas.
A report released by Stanford Research Institute International and the Global Wellness Institute last year estimated that global spending on health tourism reached $438.6 billion in 2013.
