Health tourism in Malaysia is a big venture and has registered a growth of 23% in 2016 with revenue of about RM1.12 billion, up from RM914 million in 2015.
More than 900,000 medical tourists visited the country last year compared to 859,000 in 2015. Most of them were from Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Indochina (Myanmar, Vietnam), Middle Eastern countries, Australia, China and Japan.
Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) chief executive officer, Sherene Azli said the encouraging development of the industry had also helped improve the people’s standard of living, especially the younger generation, through more job opportunities. She continued saying that the combination of the key service sectors such as transport, accommodation, tourist attractions and food services, more job opportunities are created.
It has also increased the demand for healthcare providers, travel agencies, medical devices industry, tourist guides and hotel employees along with medical practitioners. Thanks to its world class healthcare, Malaysia continues to be the preferred location for health travellers.
“In addition, the health professionals in Malaysia are qualified and have received training in reputable institutions in Malaysia and abroad, (we have) hospitals with international accreditation, and a healthcare system which is strictly regulated by the Health Ministry to ensure quality and safety,” Sherene said.
Additionally, the affordability of the cost of treatment is a major factor which attracts tourists froma cross the globe. Among the major medical treatments patients prefer to get done in Malaysia are cardiology, oncology, in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), orthopaedics, ophthalmology, dentistry and cosmetics.
MHTC is an agency established under the Health Ministry in 2009 to enhance Malaysia’s profile as an excellent healthcare destination, as well as to facilitate the overall development of the healthcare tourism industry in the country
