Diasporic medical tourism and <i>home-is-safer-than-abroad</i>: how to recover in times of uncertainty?

Purpose The home-is-safer-than-abroad bias is quite substantial in tourism. In times of uncertainty, home-like, domestic, and what is known is much more trusted. This paper explores how the diaspora population might be instrumental in rebuilding medical tourism for countries with migration-intense populations. Design/methodology/approach Theory-based adaptation leading to the shift of perspective in medical tourism. Scientific evidence, international organisation reports and media outlets’ publications were analysed. This work is a continuity of ongoing diasporic medical tourism (DMT) research. Findings Diasporic medical tourism represents a group of “hidden consumers” that pioneered medical tourism in certain countries. They are non-negligent in volume, continue to travel to visit friends and relatives (VFR tourism category) despite economic and societal upheavals, and often follow a “home-is-safer-than-abroad” bias. Therefore, they represent a substantial group of potential consumers, especially in times of uncertainty. Practical implications Medical tourism has become very competitive. Countries and companies need to look for post-pandemic consumers’ new behaviours and new avenues to develop medical tourism. Originality/value Despite the diaspora being even a majority of medical travellers in certain countries, this sub-segment has not been adequately addressed in academia. This paper highlights the importance of DMT in uncertain times (post-pandemics, fragile economic environment) and the opportunities and constraints it presents, thus addressing a critical gap in the literature.