Analysis of the relationship between the development of health tourism in Iran and content marketing Case example: Tehran city

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of of Marketing, Ajabshir Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ajabshir, Iran

2 Department of Management, Ajabshir Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ajabshir, Iran

3 Department of Management, Faculty of Management, Economics and Accounting, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran

10.22059/jut.2023.363230.1148

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
Today, health tourism accounts for a large share of countries' income. In Iran, due to the low cost of treatment compared to other countries and the presence of a large number of specialists, it is possible to attract many tourists in case of planning and marketing. The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of content marketing in the development of health tourism. In terms of the purpose, it is mixed with the exploratory approach and in terms of the method of data analysis. The statistical population in the qualitative phase included health tourism managers senior managers and university professors, and 11 experts were selected using the purposeful sampling method. The main tool of data collection in this phase was in-depth and semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed by the thematic analysis (theme) method. In the quantitative phase, senior, middle and operational managers of public and private medical centres in Tehran province were considered as the population, and 400 people were selected as a statistical sample based on the available sampling method. SPSS and PLS software were used to perform descriptive and inferential analyses. The research results led to a research model including six comprehensive themes and fifteen constructive themes. In addition, the results showed that the primary outcomes (including: increasing Iran's share of the health tourism market and making health tourists loyal to Iran's medical centres) had a positive and relatively strong effect (coefficient 0.336) on the secondary outcomes (including foreign exchange and economic improvement of the country and improvement of the development process of the country's healthcare system
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Health tourism is a new form of marketing in the tourism industry, which has grown increasingly in recent years and has taken a high share of the medical system income of some countries. Due to the low cost of treatment in Iran compared to other countries and the presence of many experienced and various medical specialists, in the case of careful planning and marketing, many health tourists can be attracted to the country. Studies have shown that determining an effective marketing and advertising strategy considering the emergence, influence, and effects of the internet and social media throughout the world and Iran, as well as the effects and changes they have created in people's current lives and marketing knowledge, is an integral and inseparable part of attracting tourists are healthy. Tehran, the administrative and political capital of Iran, with expert, experienced, and world-renowned doctors in well-equipped medical centres, advanced super-specialized hospitals, and advanced equipment benefiting from favorable medical and tourism facilities, is a treatment hub for many diseases such as ophthalmology, heart, etc. The existence of experienced and specialized doctors, the country's administrative and political capital, and the great historical capacities and tourist attractions make Tehran the hub of health tourism and attract patients from neighboring countries including the Arab countries in the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan, Pakistan. Therefore, the upcoming research seeks to answer the following main question:
-"What is the pattern of content marketing with the approach of strengthening Iran's health tourism brand?"
 
 Methodology
The present research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of approach. It should be noted that this research was conducted in two general phases; qualitative approach as theme analysis, and quantitative approach as structural equation modeling. In the qualitative phase, the statistical population is a group of experts, including managers and senior managers of health tourism and university professors in the fields of marketing management and tourism management, and in the quantitative phase, senior, middle, and operational managers of public and private medical centers in Tehran province, who are related to reference sites and digital media. In this research, 400 statistical samples were involved in the quantitative phase data collection process. In the qualitative phase of the research, the main data collection tool was in-depth and semi-structured interviews with experts since the theme analysis method was used. In the quantitative phase of the research, SPSS and Smart-PLS statistical software and structural equation modeling methods were used to analyze the data and test the research hypotheses.
 
Results and discussion
From the 11 interviews conducted in this research, a total of 134 codes were extracted, and after examining and putting them together and merging similar cases, 38 basic themes were identified. In the next stage, an attempt was made to create more general categories called "constructive themes" by paying deep attention to the identified basic themes, identifying their similarities and differences, and placing the same basic themes in more general categories. The result of this process was the achievement of 15 constructive themes. The use of specialized media to spread promotional messages - Systematic and viral dissemination of promotional messages through social media - Modeling successful countries in the world in the field of health tourism - The level of competition in the region in terms of attracting health tourists - Increasing Iran's share of the health tourism market - Loyalty Bringing health tourists to Iran's medical centers - placing the name of Iran at the top of the minds of health tourism applicants - Iran being recognized as a country with quality medical services - Iran being recognized as a country with modern equipment in the field of medical services - currency acquisition and economic improvement Country - Improving the development process of the country's healthcare system - Emphasizing ethics in the design of promotional messages - Emphasizing promotional messages on competitive advantages - Matching promotional messages with the culture of the target community - The power of promotional messages to create needs in the customer.
 
 
Conclusion
The results of the research showed that based on the fit of the model, the causal factors (including the emphasis on ethics in the design of the advertising message, emphasis on competitive advantages, compatibility of the advertising message with the culture of the target community, and the power of the advertising message to create a need in the customer) have a positive effect, and they are strong (coefficient 0.653) on strategic factors. The significant number of this effect equals 7.573.
Environmental factors (including modeling successful countries in the world in the field of health tourism and the level of competition in the region in terms of attracting health tourists) have a positive effect (coefficient 0.224) on strategic factors, and the significant number of this effect equals 2.541.
Strategic factors (including the use of specialized media to spread promotional messages and the systematic and viral dissemination of promotional messages through social media) have a positive and strong effect (coefficient 0.672) on the value of the country's health tourism brand. Moreover, the significant number of this effect equals 9.918.
The value of the country's health tourism brand (including placing the name of Iran at the top of the minds of health tourism applicants, Iran being known as a country with quality medical services, and Iran is known as a country with modern equipment in the field of medical services) a positive and strong impact (coefficient 0.754) on primary outcomes. Furthermore, the significant number of this influence equals 12.834.
The value of the country's health tourism brand (including placing the name of Iran at the top of the minds of health tourism applicants, Iran is known as a country with quality medical services, and Iran is known as a country with modern equipment in the field of medical services) has a positive effect, and they are relatively strong (coefficient 0.465) on secondary outcomes. The significant number of this influence equals 4.136.
Primary outcomes (including increasing Iran's share of the health tourism market, and making health tourists loyal to Iran's medical centers) had a positive and relatively strong impact (coefficient 0.336) on secondary outcomes (including gaining currency and improving the country's economy, and improving the process development of the country's healthcare system). The significant number of this effect equals 2.895.
 
Funding
There is no funding support.
 
Authors’ Contribution
All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
 
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
 
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of this paper.

Keywords

References

  1. Abdolmohamad Sagha, M., Hendijani Fard, M., & Kooshki Jahromi, A. (2021). Banks and Social Networks Marketing: A Content Analysis, Business intelligence Management Studies, 9 (35), 35-76. [in Persian].
  2. Abdolvand, M. A., & Asadi. M. B. (2019). Explaining the phenomenological pattern of the concept of health tourism with an emphasis word of mouth advertising of health centers. journal of Healthcare Management Research, 10 (2), 7-22. [in Persian].
  3. Abubakar, A. M., & Ilkan, M. (2016). Impact of online WOM on destination trust and intention to travel: A medical tourism perspective. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5 (3) 192–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2015.12.005
  4. Ahmadi. S. A., Paknejad rizi. S. M. M., & Raeissi, P. (2022). The effective factors on health tourism marketing in hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. Journal of Hospital, 21 (2), 48-59. [in Persian].
  5. Bowden, J., & Mirzaei, A. (2021). Consumer engagement within retail communication channels: an examination of online brand communities and digital content marketing initiatives. European Journal of Marketing, 55(5), 1411-1439. https:// doi/10.1108/EJM-01-2018-0007
  6. Cavmak, D., & Cavmak, S. (2020). Using AHP to prioritize barriers in developing medical tourism: case of Turkey. Int J Travel Med Glob Health, 8(2), https:// doi/73-79. 10.34172/IJTMGH.2020.12
  7. Connell, J. (2013). Contemporary medical tourism: conceptualization, culture and commodification. Tourism Management, 34, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2012.05.009
  8. Crooks, V. A., Turner, L., Snyder, J., Johnston, R., & Kingsbury, P. (2011). Promoting medical tourism to India: Messages, images, and the marketing of international patient travel. Social Science & Medicine, 72(5), 726-732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.12.022
  9. Hashemi Baghi, Z., Shirmohammadi, Y., & Shahsavaan, N. (2018). The Integrated marketing communications and Advanced Information Technology on the Value of the Brand for Tourism Tourism. journal of Tourism and Development, 7 (14), 1-19. [in Persian].
  10. Hashemi, E. (2015). Factors affecting destination brand equity in health tourism. Master's thesis, Department of Tourism Management, Tehran University Qom Campus, Qom (in Persian)
  11. Heung, V., Kucukusta, D., & Song, H. (2011). Medical tourism development in Hong Kong: An assessment of the barriers. Tourism Management, 32 (5), 995–1005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.08.012
  12. Hollebeek, L.D., & Macky, K. (2019). Digital Content Marketing's Role in Fostering Consumer Engagement, Trust, and Value: Framework, Fundamental Propositions, and Implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 45, 27-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2018.07.003
  13. Hussain, S., Wang, G., Rana, M. S. J., Zahida, I., Ghulam, M., & Yang, J. (2018). Consumers' online information adoption behavior: Motives and antecedents of electronic word of mouth communications. Computers in Human Behavior, 80, 22-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.09.019
  14. Ismail. A. M., Akbari, M., & Moqdadi Kasani, H. (2016). Investigating the impact of social media marketing on the effectiveness of advertising and attracting health tourists. the second international conference on innovation, development and business in history, Tehran, Kian Pajohan Scientific Institute. [in Persian].
  15. Izadi M., Ayoobian A., Nasiri T., Joneidi N., Fazel M., & Hosseinpourfard M. J. (2012). Situation of health tourism in Iran opportunity or threat. Journal of Military Medicine, 14 (2), 69-75. [in Persian].
  16. Karimkhani, A. (2018). Pathology of obstacles and bottlenecks in attracting foreign health tourists in Tabriz metropolis. Second International Conference on Management and Business, Tabriz, Department of Management, University of Tabriz.
  17. Li, Y., & Hu, C., Huang, C., & Duan, L. (2017). The concept of smart tourism in the context of tourism information services. Tourism Management, 58, 293-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.03.014
  18. Mirghaed. M. T., Ahmadi, B., Rahimi Foroushani, A., Rajabi Vasoukolaii, G., & Arab. M . (2020).The Status of Medical Tourism Marketing in Private and Public Hospitals Affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Journal of Payavard Salamat,13 (6), 492-500. [in Persian].
  19. Mohammadi, S., & Khaldi, F.. (2019). Analysis of Affecting Factors the Health and Satisfaction of foreign tourists (Case Study: Iraqi Kurdistan’s Tourists). Journal of Urban Tourism, 6 (3), 1-16. [in Persian].
  20. Nikabadi, Shafiei M., & Zarei. A. A. (2017). Effectiveness of Advertisements on Electronic Social Networks. Journal of Business Administration Researches, 9 (17),149-173. [in Persian]. Saberi. S., Miri, A,. & Zakipour, M. (2023). Analyzing Factors Influencing Health tourism Marketing A case study of Tehran city. Journal of Urban Tourism, 10 (1), 57-75. [in Persian].
  21. Possession, S. (2023). Presenting a model of health tourism based on cultural indicators in Iran. Journal of Tourism Social Studies, 21 (11), 257-290. [in Persian].
  22. Rahimi, M. K., Shafaghat, T., Beiginia, A., & Jafari. H . (2022). Investigating the Marketing Status of Healthcare Tourism of Selected Public and Private Hospitals in Yazd in 2021.  journal of health research in community Mazandaran university of Medical Sciences, 8(1), 60-68. [in Persian].
  23. Rerkrujipimol J, & Assenov I. (2011). Marketing strategies for promoting medical tourism in Thailand. Journal of Tourism, Hospitality & Culinary Arts, 3(2), 95-105.
  24. Shalbafian, A. A. (2014). Health tourism in a comprehensive approach. first edition, Tehran: Mahkameh. [in Persian].
  25. Szromek, A.R., Puciato, D., Markiewicz-Patkowska, J.I., & Colmekcioglu, N. (2023). Health tourism enterprises and adaptation for sustainable development. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,. 35, 1,1-25.
  26. Taiminen, K., & Ranaweera, C. (2019). Fostering brand engagement and value-laden trusted B2B relationships through digital content marketing. European Journal of Marketing, 53(2), 1759-1781. DOI:10.1108/EJM-10-2017-0794
  27. Yaghtin, Sh., Safarzadeh, H., & Karimi zand. M. (2022).Presenting the model of B2B content marketing in line with the firm's competitiveness objectives, journal of business Management, 14 (53), 129-146. [in Persian].
  28. Ye BH, Qiu HZ, Yuen PP. (2011). Motivations and experiences of Mainland Chinese medical tourists in Hong Kong. Tour Manag, 32 (5), 1125-1127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.09.018.
  29. Zamani. H., Naami. A., & Hamdi. K. (2022). Designing a Content Marketing Template to Increase Purchase Intention in Digital Marketing. Journal of Business Management, 14 (2), 354-376. [in Persian].
urban tourism
Volume 10, Issue 4
February 2024
Pages 97-113

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics