December 10, 2020 - Total Croatia News is pleased to announce the results of a successful night in Malaysia at the MTMA 2020 media awards in Kuala Lumpur. 

The second Medical Travel Media Awards, organised by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, took place earlier today in an online ceremony in Kuala Lumpur. 

The awards, aimed at recognising journalistic efforts at promoting health tourism in Malaysia, are the first such global awards in the industry, with award categories for both local and international journalists in the categories of best print feature, best broadcast feature, best online feature, best editorial team, and medical travel journalist of the year.  

This year's ceremony attracted more than 400 entries from 11 countries, significantly up on the 250 submissions in the inaugural event at MTMA 2019 16 months ago.  

It was a good night for TCN, with CEO Paul Bradbury winning the MTMA 2020 International Medical Travel Journalist of the Year, ahead of other finalists, Neang Sopheap from the Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia and Jannatul Islam form the Daily Sun in Bangladesh.   

TCN also had two entries in the five finalists for best online feature - Inna Bergman on the Origins and Rise of Israel as a Medical Tourism Destination and Malaysia Healthcare Marvel Wins Big at IMTJ 2019 Berlin Medical Tourism Awards.

TCN also made the final three for Best Editorial Team of the Year.  

The online MTMA 2020 awards were a necessary precaution due to the global pandemic and in contrast to the 2019 event, in which Bradbury also won an award, for Best Online Feature of the Year. 

The Malaysian health tourism travel story is one of the most inspirational in this rapidly expanding industry, and the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council have become known as one of the innovative pioneers of the industry, led by inspirational CEO Sherene Azli. 

You can learn more about the MTMA 2020 awards on the official website. 

Medical Travel Media Awards (MTMA 2020) offers cash prizes up to RM80,000 for the best media features

KUALA LUMPUR, February 2020 – The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) has recently announced that it expected more than 350 entries from journalists globally who have reported positively on the potential of the Malaysian medical travel industry through their media reports and features to participate in the Medical Travel Media Awards 2020 (MTMA2020). This award event that recognises and rewards excellence in journalism for both local and international media garnered more than 250 submissions from over 10 countries last year.

MTMA is the first global media award which honours the journalists’ contributions specifically in the medical travel industry which have made a major impact in terms of revenues and number of healthcare travellers. Malaysia has ranked in the Top 10 of the global medical travel destinations for many years which led the country to become the hub for cardiology, IVF, oncology, plastic surgery and many more.

“Healthcare travel is one of the fastest growing industries in Malaysia. Our country has an extensive history in healthcare travel excellence that lends to high-quality offerings. This is only made possible with the continuous support from members of the media who have played a pivotal role in carving Malaysia Healthcare on a global scale. MTMA2020 continues our support for the media and more importantly, holds in great respect, the best work in healthcare travel journalism”.

This national initiative is further driven with the support of Asia’s leading digital public relations platform, Supernewsroom which opens access for MHTC to connect with more than 25,000 journalists and editors in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Throughout 2018, the local healthcare travel industry flourished and attained RM1.5 billion in revenue. While in 2019, MHTC recorded 1.3 million healthcare travellers that brought in an estimated of RM1.7 billion worth of revenue. This year, Malaysia expects to see a jump in the number of healthcare travellers which will contribute to an estimated revenue of RM2 billion.

“This year as we celebrate the Malaysia Year of Healthcare Travel 2020 campaign (MyHT2020), we would like to invite healthcare travellers to experience Malaysia’s first international healthcare travel campaign. This campaign aims to invite everyone to seek healthcare and wellness treatments in Malaysia while exploring our country’s tourism attractions. With the MyHT2020 campaign going in full gear, we anticipate more submissions this year as we see Malaysia transforming from a hidden jewel to the World’s Healthcare Marvel,” said Chief Executive Officer of MHTC, Sherene Azli.

In its second installation, MTMA2020 will be held on 18 August 2020 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This year, MTMA2020 has upped the game with the introduction of more award categories. To encourage more international participation, MHTC has introduced five awards for international media on top of separate categories for Malaysian media. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of local and international media experts as judges.

Malaysia, the World’s Healthcare Marvel

Malaysia is the number one healthcare travel destination by volume according to The Global Market Report 2018 produced by LaingBuisson. Gaining further recognition, Malaysia has been internationally recognised as the “Best Country in the World for Healthcare” from 2015 to 2019 by US-based International Living and “Destination of the Year” for healthcare travel by UK-based International Medical Travel Journal from 2015 to 2017 based on these criteria: quality, accessibility and affordability. 

With MyHT2020 headlining the year in tandem with Visit Malaysia 2020, MTMA2020 is expected to garner more entry submissions from media organisations all around the world, furthering Malaysia Healthcare’s global awareness.

For more information on the MTMA2020, please visit https://www.mhtc.org.my/mtma/ or our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MyMTMA/

MTMA2020 welcomes entry submissions from both local and international media organisations at https://www.mhtc.org.my/mtma/entry-submission/

ABOUT THE MALAYSIA HEALTHCARE TRAVEL COUNCIL

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) is a government agency that has been entrusted with the responsibility of curating the country’s healthcare travel scene. Founded in 2009, MHTC works to streamline industry players and service providers in facilitating and growing Malaysia’s healthcare travel industry under the brand “Malaysia Healthcare” with the intended goal of making Malaysia the leading global healthcare destination. 

Start Planning Your Healthcare Journey with Malaysia Healthcare

To find out more information, visit: www.malaysiahealthcare.org or contact the MHTC Call Centre: 1-800-188-688 (within Malaysia) or +603 272 68 688 (outside Malaysia), which operates from Mondays to Fridays from 9.00am to 6.00pm (GMT +8).

Experience a seamless end-to-end patient journey beginning at our Malaysia Healthcare Concierge and Lounge(s) located at:

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA): Arrival Hall, Gate 8 (+ 603 8776 6168)

Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2): Departure Area, Level 3 (+603 8778 5566)

Penang International Airport (PIA): Level 1, Arrival Concourse (+ 604 643 1626)

Malaysia Healthcare Social Media

• Facebook – facebook.com/malaysiahealthcare.org
• Instagram – instagram.com/malaysiahealthcare

Malaysia Healthcare’s Recent Awards & Recognition:

International Living (Global Retirement Index 2015 - 2019)

• Malaysia - “Best Country in the World for Healthcare”

International Medical Travel Journal – Medical Travel Awards

• Health and Medical Tourism: Destination of the Year – Malaysia (2015 – 2017)
• Health and Medical Tourism: Cluster of the Year – Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (2017-2019)

Asia Pacific Healthcare & Medical Tourism Awards (2017 – 2019)

MasterCard-Crescent Rating Global Muslim Travel Index (2011 – 2019)

• Top Country for Muslim Travel

World’s Best Hospitals for Medical Tourists by the Medical Travel Quality Alliance (2013, 2014, 2017-2019)

• Prince Court Medical Centre

For more details on MHTC’s awards listing, please visit: www.malaysiahealthcare.org

Winners Quote:

Best Print Feature - Nadia Badarudin (New Straits Times)

The MTMA event is a great channel for journalists to beef up an article's credibility in the field of medical travel. As the nation's healthcare industry grows rapidly, Malaysia is sharing its expertise with the world to help those seeking treatment. For me, writing that winning piece was indeed a great experience because I knew it would benefit many readers especially couples who are considering IVF to bring more joy into their lives.

Best Online Feature (Local) - Chester Chin (The Star)

With the number of medical tourists to Malaysia growing, my story examined how the hospitality sector can play a role in offering after-care treatment. I'm glad the story was honoured at the inaugural MTMA last year. This year being Malaysia Year of Healthcare Travel 2020, I'm sure there are many more great healthcare travel stories to be told. Kudos to MHTC for creating a stage where these stories can be celebrated, and ultimately be discussed further, with a bigger audience. All the best to the participants of MTMA2020!

Best Online Feature (International) - Paul Bradbury (Total Croatia News)

Journalism can be a lonely profession, with hard work often unrecognised. It was therefore a huge honour to win an award at the first MTMA awards last year, an award which enabled me to visit beautiful Malaysia for the first time and learn more about Malaysia's emerging medical tourism industry during my 5-day tour of the country and its hospitals courtesy of MHTC. Malaysia has quickly earned a reputation as a leading, innovative and focused example of excellence within the medical tourism industry. I love what Sherene and the MHTC are doing on every level, and the MTMA awards were one more example of MHTC being ahead of the competition. I look forward to following the 2020 Healthcare Marvel and meeting old friends and new in Kuala Lumpur soon. Thank you for your incredible hospitality, and Go Malaysia!

Best Broadcast Feature - Nursyamimi Syahira Saripan (Radio Television Malaysia)

When I wrote that special report on IVF, I learned based on my research that Malaysia has among the top success rates in child conception in the world. Imagine how this development in our healthcare can make dreams of couples out there who wish for their own child come true. Congratulations, MHTC for helping people realize this dream.

Best Editorial Team - Sinar Harian

This award has motivated our Sinar Harian team to continuously publish informative reports on health issues that are supported by accurate and trustworthy facts. We hope that MHTC will continue to organize this kind of recognition event for media practitioners for years to come. Thank you, MHTC!