Impact of Social Media on Medical Tourist Decision-making: Trends, Influences, and Insights

Medical tourism has changed with the instant access to information, reviews, and peer experiences that social media offers. This study examines its effect through the use of qualitative secondary data. Results indicate that first-time medical tourists value internet research, social proof, and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) more than their own previous experience, while repeat tourists tend to focus on their own past experience. Among the determinants of decision-making are price transparency, visual marketing, trust of the online content, and cultural fit. Social media decreases uncertainty, helps people evaluate options, and increases confidence in the decision of destinations and providers. Its impact is contingent upon cultural variability and the credibility of information. The findings of this study highlight that social media is an important mechanism in the medicalization of the tourism experience, filling information gaps, and influencing these choices for all types of travelers.