Hospitals keen on Mauritius foray

The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) expects to see more of Indian hospitals entering the island nation to set up there facilities.

Talking to Business Standard, Vijaye Haulder, deputy director, MTPA, said, "Some hospitals are in talks with the government to set up their facilities in Mauritius."

However, he declined to reveal the names of the hospitals.

The Mauritius government is keen to develop medical tourism to attract more tourists to the island nation.

The Apollo Hospitals Group has formed a joint venture with Mauritius-based British American Investment (BAI) to set up a multi-speciality, 200-bed hospital in the country.

According to Haulder, the other Indian hospitals that are in talks with Mauritius are also planning to set up hospitals on the lines of the business model being implemented by Apollo Hospital.

India figures as the seventh most potential market for Mauritius. For the year 2006, Mauritius received 37,498 Indian tourists registering an overall increase of 26 per cent.

Among Asian countries, India's contribution to tourist arrivals in Mauritius was 62.37 per cent.