Title: Malaysia's medical tourism destination personality: an international cosmetic surgery patients' perspective

Authors: Michael Guiry

Addresses: Marketing Department, Business and Public Management Center, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA 19383, USA

Abstract: This research examines the medical tourism destination personality perceptions of Malaysia, a leading medical tourism destination country. A content analysis of international cosmetic surgery patients' online testimonials from a medical tourism facilitator's website shows that medical tourists have discrete medical tourism destination personality perceptions of Malaysia, with the brand personality dimensions competence and sincerity being stated most frequently. Brand personality perceptions differed depending on the length of the testimonial (story versus short testimony), patients' home country, whether patients had one cosmetic surgery procedure or multiple procedures during their stay in Malaysia, and if physical facilities were mentioned in the testimonials. Marketing implications of the findings are discussed, and suggestions for future research are proposed. The study serves as a starting point for further research on Malaysia's medical tourism destination personality.

Keywords: brand personality; brand positioning; content analysis; cosmetic surgery; destination personality; healthcare; health tourism; international patient testimonials; Malaysia; medical care; medical tourism; medical tourists; tourism marketing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2017.086431

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2017 Vol.5 No.3, pp.202 - 226

Received: 03 Feb 2017
Accepted: 28 Mar 2017
Published online: 10 Sep 2017 *

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