Could this be the beginning of something new?

I just visited a beacon of "medical tourism" in Lebanon. It felt great. Stepping inside the building was almost like stepping into a five-star hotel! The hospital is a block away from the Gefinor Rotana Hotel, and a five-minute drive from Le Phoenicia Intercontinental - two of Beirut's top hotels.

I should hand it to the owners though. At first, I was somewhat skeptical of the relatively obscure location of the building. But considering where it is situated relative to the aforementioned hotels, and the expected clientele, I doubt they could have found a better spot!

So now, I guess, when a Khaleeji princess or prince needs hospital treatment, they fly in, and admit themselves into the "five-star" Clemenceau Medical Center. Of course, their family flies in with them and get rooms at the Gefinor Rotana hotel, that is just two-minutes away, walking distance (or the Phoenecia - depending on what suits their tastes).

Family members take turns visiting their sick sibling, parent or child. While one or two are continuously present in the hospital, the others go shopping, head to the beach, or even go skiing. At the end of the trip, everyone's happy: the khaleejis for getting better and having a blast, the Medical Center for the paying client, the doctors because of increased employment opportunities and the Hotel, as well as other enterprises that benefited from the visiting family.

There, my friends, you have "medical tourism." Now the question is: can Lebanese milk it for all its worth? The potential is there, but we'll have to wait and see.

Coming soon: