South Korea is fast emerging as a medical tourism destination world over. One of South Korea’s flagship carriers Asiana Airlines is focusing on the increasing number of foreign visitors visiting the country for medical and healthcare services.

The airline is tying up with hospitals and other medical institutions to aggressively promote South Korea as a medical tourism hub. Asiana Airlines is taking effective steps to publicize the advanced medical facilities and techniques in the country.

Asiana Airlines is now all set to evolve as a primary carrier in South Korea for transporting foreign medical tourists. The airline is also at the same time playing a significant role in contributing to nurture the high value-added medical industry in the country.

Media reports recently said that Asiana Airlines has entered into a business partnership with some 24 hospitals and clinics in South Korea since April 2009. The airline at the outset signed the first cooperation agreement with Hanyang University Hospital and expanded the relationship with others in later years. The airline has now indicated that it will be further adding more medical institutions to its growing list of business partners.

According to the reports, Asiana Airlines on June 5 this year signed a cooperation agreement with Yonsei University Healthcare System to attract patients from foreign countries jointly. Under the terms of the new agreement a health checkup program will be developed for foreign tourists and promotional events would be jointly conducted abroad.

Asiana Airlines said that it will be offering discounts on airline tickets to the foreign tourists visiting Yonsei University Healthcare System for seeking medical and healthcare services. The Yonsei University Healthcare System will similarly devise plans to make the use of its medical services for Asian Airlines’ passengers more affordable.

Korea Tourism Organization said that the number of medical tourists is expected to reach 250,000 in 2014, up from 211,000 in 2013. The top nations from where medical tourists visited South Korea include China, United States, Russia, Japan and Mongolia.