Abstract:

Over the recent years, medical tourism has become one of the niche sectors that significantly contributed towards a country’s economic development. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: firstly, it aims to assess medical tourists’ attitude and perceived behavioural control in affecting their intention towards adopting destination choice behaviour. Secondly, it further attempts to determine potential significant linkages between the tourists’ perceived destination image, religiosity, and perceived behavioural control. Data collection procedures would involve initial focus group interview followed by survey questionnaire design and its subsequent distribution to 600 potential target respondents. The unit of analyses would be tapped on medical tourists visiting a progressively developing nation for the purpose of seeking medical services. Data would be analysed in terms of reliability and validity prior to subsequent testing of relationships using structural equation modelling (SEM) statistical approach. Expected contributions of this study include an extended knowledge building on a new conceptual research framework of destination choice behavioural adoption within the medical tourism sector. The study is also expected to provide potential managerial implications towards better understanding of medical tourists’ needs and acceptance of Halal (or permissible) medical service practices.