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Of the total 63,09,222 foreign tourists arrived in 2011, as many as 1,38,803 had come seeking medical treatment. In 2010, of the total 57,75,692 foreign visitors, 1,55,944 had come for medical treatment, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a query.
Azad also said Tourism Ministry has extended Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) scheme to include medical tourism in its purview since February 2009.
Under MDA, the ministry provides financial support to approved medical tourism service providers.
Azad said the Tourism Ministry organises road shows in overseas markets, participates in travel marts, creates brochures, CDs, films and other publicity materials for promotion of medical tourism.
