The former head of corporate sales for Malaysia Airlines is hoping work with tour operators to sell health screenings to UK holidaymakers visiting Malaysia and Singapore.
Anton Grossmann has set up AKG Global Consulting, which offers half-day health checks at medical centres in Malaysia and Singapore.
Grossmann, who retired last year after 29 years at the airline, came up with the idea while visiting his son, a fitness professional based in Bali.
His son booked him a full health screening “at a fraction of the cost of a similar screening in the UK” at the Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur due to his concerns about the state of the NHS.
Grossmann said: “I wanted to work for myself for some time and to also give something back to society, having enjoyed a career spanning over 50 years with airlines.
“I decided it would be a great opportunity to provide a service to society, by helping those that travel, to potentially stay healthy longer.”
Current long wait times on the NHS would make this service, which could be added on to an existing holiday, of interest to mature holidaymakers in particular, he said.
“It’s a no-brainer and a lot cheaper than in the UK,” he said, adding: “I believe this product presents a great opportunity for tour operators that are prepared to step out of their comfort zone and include health screening to provide an additional income stream and benefit for their customers. There are also opportunities for meetings and incentive (MICE) agents to sell this.”
Grossmann is in talks with a number of “large and small” operators about selling the health checks as an “add on” to clients already planning a holiday to Malaysia or Singapore.
He has already secured agreements with Prince Court Medical Centre in Kuala Lumpur and Thomson Medical in Singapore to sell the screenings to the UK market. He has negotiated commission rates of 10% to 15% to pay to operators on sales of health screenings, which include chest X-Rays, abdominal ultrasounds, and a range of other tests.
The health checks vary in price but cost on average around £200. In comparison, similar private health check in the UK would cost more than £1,000, he said.
Clients are presented with a folder afterwards containing the findings which can then be discussed with a doctor to go through any recommendations, including changes to their diet and lifestyle.
Grossmann said medical centres were able to provide online training to help operators’ staff to sell the product.