Only a few years ago, medical tourism was a blip in overall global tourism spending. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry that is expected to increase by up to 25 percent per year over the next 10 years.
This is according to a recent report issued by VISA and Oxford Economics, whilst this figure can only be considered an estimate, it indicates the general publics growing acceptance of the industry.
Stats and Figures
Although precise figures are hard to come by and the range can vary from source to source, the following figures are given as the general consensus:
- Current market size between 45 and 72 billion USD
- Number of Medical Tourists between 14 and 16 million per year
- Spending an average of 3,800 – 6,000 USD (including non-medical fees)
- Estimated 1.4m Americans per year could travel abroad for treatment
Why and Where to go for Medical Tourism?
As each individuals reasons for choosing Medical Tourism differs, the two main reasons are that it’s cheaper and the waiting times are much shorter. However, for a region, country or city to become a competitive destination for Medical Tourism, the following factors are essential:
- Potential for cost saving on medical procedures
- Strong tourism sector and infrastructure, particularly airport, roads and other means of transport
- Internationally trained and experienced medical staff
- Reputation for clinical excellence and adoption of best practices and state of the art medical technologies
- Commitment to international accreditation (JCI and other accreditations)
- Government and private sector investment in healthcare
The top destinations excelling in all of these areas are:
Asia & Middle East: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, UAE, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan
Europe: Turkey, Germany, Poland, Hungary
Americas: US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia
For more information, check out our medical tourism facts page.