Amman to host Int’l Healthcare Travel Forum this month

AMMAN — The 2022 International Healthcare Travel Forum (IHTF) will take place between November 19 and 21 in Amman, the Private Hospitals Association (PHA) announced during a press conference on Monday.

The event is being organised by the PHA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Jordan Tourism Board, the International Hospital Federation (IHF), the Global Healthcare Travel Council and the Arab Hospitals Federation.

Speaking during the press conference, Chairman of the Private Hospitals Association Fawzi Hammouri highlighted that “the IHTF will be the world’s largest healthcare travel conference, and comes in parallel with the Kingdom’s Economic Modernisation Vision”.

Hammouri also noted that healthcare tourism is vital for economic growth, representing a significant source of foreign exchange earnings.

He added that the forum will bring together a number of ministers, ambassadors and representatives of international and local organisations working in the medical tourism sector. 

“There will be over 700 participants from 50 countries,” he noted.

Additionally, Hammouri noted that this forum would delve into a wide range of relevant topics, including the role of legislation in ensuring the provision of adequate healthcare services, and the importance of technology and artificial intelligence in the healthcare profession.

“The first session will be a special ministerial meeting, during which we will be discussing the mechanisms for the expansion of healthcare tourism,” he added.

Director General of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB) Abdul Razzaq Arabiyat talked about Jordan’s achievements in the medical field, reiterating the importance of conference tourism, which brings significant number of people to Jordan every year.

According to Hammouri, this forum comes in line with the National Strategy of Healthcare Tourism, “aiming to strengthen Jordan’s position as a leading destination for medical tourism”.