The second Kerala Health Tourism (KTH)-2007 fair, to be held in Kochi from March 23 to 26, is jointly organised by the tourism department along with the Confederation of Indian Industry.The fair expects more than 100 exhibitors, including leading hospitals, private clinics, medical bodies, private clinics and spas, to take part. Special pavilions for ayurveda and dental treatment will be put up

Kerala has stolen a march over other Indian States in medical tourism, with its new crop of private super specialty hospitals offering services across various systems of medicine under roof.In recent years the term reproductive tourism has been increasingly used to refer to couples traveling from their country of residence to another in order to receive specific fertility treatment not allowed or not available in their own country. A trend has been noticed of infertile couples in the West employing Indian women as surrogates. The Indian Council of Medical Research estimates it could become a $6-billion-a-year industry.

Foreigners are arriving in Kerala's top hospitals for plastic and cosmetic surgery, facial surgery, dental treatments, cosmetology, hip and knee replacement, ophthalmology, voice therapy and obesity treatment.Honchos of various leading hospitals have forecast that by 2010, the number of tourists arriving in the State, to avail relatively cheaper but good quality medical services, would be 100,000 as against 16,000 last year, mainly because of prohibitive costs and the long wait for services in foreign countries.

The government has entrusted the Investment Consulting Research Agency (ICRA) the task of preparing a report on Kerala's potential in medical tourism, the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and other factors. The report is expected to be ready soon.