A Comparative Study of Health Tourism Potentials in Iran and India Using SWOT model and Analysis Hierarchy Process (AHP),

Health tourism is one of the most important branches of tourism industry and has high economic and social benefits; people travel to access therapeutic, health and surgical cares in this process. This study aims to comparatively examine the capacities and functions effective on the health tourism in Iran and India. Research method is descriptiveanalytical, and data are analyzed using SWOT model, and AHP hierarchical process has been used for weighting the internal and external factors. Results achieved in this study indicate that the weighting score of strengths in India is 3.6 with high efficiency and weighting score of weaknesses is 2.8 with low efficiency. Also,weighting score of opportunities in India is evaluated 3.6 and threatening 3.4. Tourism strengths in Iran have been assessed 3.8 and the weaknesses 3.5 with a high rate of efficiency and opportunities scored 3.8 and threats scored 1.4 with a high rate of efficiency. However, the findings of this study indicate that India managed to appropriately exploit the opportunities and strengths of health tourism and make the system's weaknesses ineffective. Health tourism planners in Iran should also take a measure to reduce weaknesses and threats of health tourism and enhance its strengths and opportunities utilizing the experience achieved in India. In the main body of the article, according to the findings of this study, instrumental strategies for expanding health tourism in both countries are presented.

tourism potentials, health tourism, SWOT& AHP Models, Iran, India.