Why Tamaulipas Stands Out in Medical Tourism and Attracts So Many Americans

The kidnapping and murder of two of the four US citizens who traveled to Tamaulipas on March 3 sparked outrage from authorities in the neighboring country.

Border Entity Governor Americo Villarreal reported on Tuesday that the victims were identified as Latavia “Tay” McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Eric James Williams and Zindell Brown. However, only McGee was saved, who was unhurt, while Williams suffered a gunshot wound to one of his legs. Both have already been transferred to the United States.

According to the state attorney general’s office, one of the investigative leads is that these travelers were mistaken for drug traffickers by elements of organized crime, possibly the Gulf Cartel.

However, the reason for their stay is that they were going to accompany Tay McGee to the city of Matamoros, as he was planning to undergo an abdominoplasty, a cosmetic surgery procedure aimed at removing abdominal fat.

And it is that Matamoros and Reynosa, in Tamaulipas; In addition to other border cities such as Mexicali and Tijuana (Baja California), and Ciudad Juárez (Chihuahua), these are destinations that benefit from medical or health tourism, which consists of moving to a different place to access surgeries, consultations, hospitalizations, and even the supply of medicines.

The above with the premise that the same or better quality service at the place of origin will be obtained, but at a lower cost. Although cosmetic surgeries are the most requested, there are also dental, fertility, ophthalmology or bariatric treatments.

This type of tourism leaves a significant economic benefit, as it bundles various services, such as transporters, laboratories, hotels, restaurants, and other recreational activities that travelers enjoy, as they usually travel with companions.

In the case of Mexico, the main foreign tourists who arrive at these border destinations to receive medical care come from the United States and Canada due to their proximity, in addition to seeking to save between 35 and 85% of the cost.

For example, Houston (Texas) is known to be a city with the best hospitals, and therefore the most expensive in the United States; but if you travel six hours south (590 km) by road, you will arrive at Matamoros. Whereas, if you depart from Austin, San Antonio or McAllen, it takes five, four and one hour respectively.

Regarding prices, the international professional services network Deloitte points out that in the town of Algodones, Baja California, a dental implant costs between 700 and a thousand dollars; that’s to say; from 12 thousand 600 pesos to 18 thousand pesos. While in the United States it is five thousand dollars, which is equivalent to about 90 thousand pesos.

According to the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), Mexico has become the second destination for health tourism over the past decade, receiving 1.2 million visitors per year, just behind Thailand, which receives 1.8 million visitors. per year. For its part, Deloitte estimates that medical tourism could increase the economic profit in Mexico by 2030 to 13.8 billion dollars.

The risks in Tamaulipas

But Tamaulipas is one of six states in the country that the US State Department advises its citizens against visiting due to its dangerousness.

Criminal groups have attacked buses and cars traveling in the state, often seizing passengers and demanding ransoms in an area where local police have limited ability to respond to crime, according to the State Department.

ABC News reported that Barbara Burgess, mother of “Tay” McGee, asked her daughter not to go to Tamaulipas, but assured her she would be safe.

Last March 4, a day after the attack and kidnapping of American citizens, Benjamín Hernández Rodríguez, tourism secretary of Tamaulipas, highlighted in a conference the importance of medical tourism for the entity.

“The state government is very interested in offering an innovative product and service that sets Tamaulipas apart from other states with an influx of medical tourism; We have medical quality with nationally and internationally recognized specialists, as well as the friendly treatment of the people of Tamaulipas and competitive prices, adding the participation of hotel associations and state service providers, generating a significant economic benefit in border municipalities,” he said.