Cosmetic surgery - does it pay to go abroad?
December 12, 2008 8:12 am BusinessI guess it is true what they say about the best business ideas arising from personal experience. It is certainly true in the case of the TV entrepreneur, Leila Wilcox who has spotted a gap in a potentially enormous market. A few years ago, she set off to Thailand for cosmetic surgery. She went to Thailand to keep her costs down, as the expense of having the surgery over in the UK was astronomical by comparison. While Harley Street quoted her £5,500, Ms Wilcox discovered she could have the surgery and five star accommodation for ten days and flights in Thailand for just two thousand pounds. It was while in Thailand that she realised she was not protected in the event of something going wrong in terms of complications.
According to the article “Insurance for surgery when it goes bad abroad!” over one hundred thousand Brits are travelling overseas for medical treatments and cosmetic procedures to save money. You would think their travel insurance protects them against surgery negligence or incidental complications, but the harsh reality is, that it does not. The market of medical tourism is set to be worth over eight hundred million pounds in the next two years. I would say that Ms Wilcox has spotted an incredible business opportunity and one that will help many people should anything go wrong. Good luck to her.