National Company «UZBEKTOURISM»

While the economic recession has eroded the growth rate for medical tourism by approximately 13.6 percent from 2007 to 2009, the economic recovery may help spur a sustainable 35 percent annual growth rate for the medical tourism industry by 2010, according to a new report released by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions at the World Medical Tourism and Global Health Congress in Los Angeles, California.

Self-catering holiday properties in North East England have had the best summer on record this year with occupancy levels up by 10% on 2008. From July to September 2009 the occupancy rates for self-catering properties was 85%, the highest it has ever been since Regional Development Agency, One North East, took over responsibility for tourism in 2003.

Luxury hotels across Vietnam are still struggling to shift their focus with a view to increasing their occupancy rates in the remaining months of the year. In the first nine months of the year, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Vietnam dropped by 16 per cent from the same period last year, according to the National Administration of Tourism.

Tourismo de Portugal, the Portuguese National Tourist Office, and the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce in the UK, hosted a major conference this week focusing on “Private Healthcare, Nursing Homes and Medical Tourism” in Portugal. The event highlighted opportunities for investing in health and wellness tourism in Portugal, as well as showcasing the products already on offer.

The Executive power approved, through a governmental decision, modifying the April annex, which included the distribution of funds for tourism investments in 2009. Therefore, 3 counties were added to the list of those benefiting of funds, such as Arad, Gorj and Galati. The total value of the financing also increased, by EUR 2.5 million euros, up to 55.3 million euros.