Facts and Figures
Medical tourism and medical travel, the practice of traveling to receive medical treatment, has become a booming industry over the past fifteen years. With the rising cost of healthcare in developed countries and the increasing availability of affordable healthcare options in developing countries, more and more people are choosing to travel for medical treatment. However, obtaining accurate data on medical tourism can be challenging due to the lack of centralized reporting, lack of national policy on the matter, and the fact that many patients choose not to disclose that they have received medical treatment abroad or elsewhere.
Despite these challenges, there is some data available on medical tourism that provides insight into the number of patients who travel for healthcare country by country. According to the latest available data (pre-pandemic levels), the below countries have statistics and data available for medical tourism. Some countries showcase inbound and other outbound data with the average number of patients and primary types of medical procedures sought as follows:
Argentina - 30,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and fertility treatment
Armenia - 2,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
Austria - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and cardiology
Australia - 15,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
Bangladesh - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cardiology
Belarus - 2,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Belgium - 30,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, and fertility treatment
Bosnia and Herzegovina - 1,500 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Brazil - 250,000 patients (2019), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
Bulgaria - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
Cambodia - 40,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Canada - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and cardiology
Colombia - 55,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
Costa Rica - 100,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and bariatric surgery
Croatia - 20,000 patients (2017), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Czech Republic - 20,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery
Denmark - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and cardiology
Dominican Republic - 40,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and bariatric surgery
Egypt - Medical and Wellness Tourism Receipts reached $8 million in 2025, a 76.67 per cent jump from $3.7 million in 2024. 250,000 patients (2017), Cardiology, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
Estonia - 2,500 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Finland - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and plastic surgery
France - 120,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, ophthalmology, and fertility treatment
Ghana - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, orthopedics, and cardiology
Georgia - 1,500 patients (2017), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cosmetic surgery
Germany - 200,000 patients (2018), Oncology, cardiology, and orthopedics
Greece - 25,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Hungary - 45,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Iceland - 500 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and ophthalmology
India - 700,000 patients (2019), Cardiology, cancer treatment, and orthopedics
Indonesia - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cosmetic surgery
Israel - 60,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and neurology
Jordan - 250,000 patients (2017), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and oncology
Kazakhstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, and neurology
Kenya - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cancer treatment
Kyrgyzstan - 1,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Latvia - 3,500 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Lebanon - 5,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and oncology
Lithuania - 4,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Malaysia - 1.2 million patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, orthopedics, and cosmetic surgery
Mauritius - 5,000 patients (2018), Dental care, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
Mexico - 1.3 million patients (2019), Bariatric surgery, dental care, cosmetic surgery, stem cell therapy, and orthopedics
Moldova - 1,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Mongolia - 1,000 patients (2019), Cancer treatment, orthopedics, and stem cell therapy
Morocco - 50,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, dental care, and cardiology
Myanmar - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Nigeria - 15,000 patients (2017), Orthopedics, cardiology, and cancer treatment
Norway - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, ophthalmology, and cardiology
Pakistan - 5,000 patients (2018), Orthopedics, dental care, and cardiology
Panama - 60,000 patients (2017), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and orthopedics
Philippines - 200,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
Poland - 100,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Portugal - 20,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Romania - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Russia - 10,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Serbia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Singapore - 450,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics
Slovakia - 10,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and ophthalmology
Slovenia - 5,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
South Africa - 500,000 patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, fertility treatment, and cardiology
South Korea - 248,000 patients (2022), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and stem cell therapy
Spain - 120,000 patients (2019), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and oncology
Sri Lanka - 15,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
Switzerland - 5,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, oncology, and orthopedics
Taiwan - 400,000 patients (2018), Cardiology, fertility treatment, and cosmetic surgery
Tanzania - 5,000 patients (2018), Dental care, orthopedics, and fertility treatment
Thailand - 2.5 million patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dental care, and orthopedics
Tunisia - 70,000 patients (2018), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
Turkey - 700,000 patients (2019), Hair transplant, cosmetic surgery, and dentistry
UAE - 350,000 patients (2018) and 630,000 patients in Dubai alone (2022), Fertility treatment, cosmetic surgery, and orthopedics
Uganda - 2,500 patients (2018), Dental care, fertility treatment, and ophthalmology
Ukraine - 3,000 patients (2017), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and fertility treatment
United States - 1 million patients (2018), Cosmetic surgery, dentistry, and orthopedics
Uzbekistan - 71,000 (2026), Dental care, plastic surgery, and traditional health treatments
Vietnam - 80,000 patients (2018), Dental care, cosmetic surgery, and cardiology
Zimbabwe - 1,000 patients (2018), Dental care, orthopedics, and fertility treatment
Post-Pandemic Data
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on patient volume for medical tourism. One of the main reasons for the decline in patient volume is the travel restrictions and border closures imposed by many countries to curb the spread of the virus.
This has made it difficult for patients to travel to their preferred destinations for medical treatment.Moreover, many patients are also hesitant to travel due to the risk of contracting the virus during their trip. The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has led to a decrease in confidence in international travel and the safety of receiving medical treatment abroad.
Patients are also concerned about the potential quarantine requirements they may face upon their return to their home country.The pandemic has also led to a reduction in elective procedures as hospitals and clinics have shifted their focus to treating COVID-19 patients. This has resulted in longer waiting times for medical procedures, leading to patients seeking treatment closer to home.
Furthermore, the financial impact of the pandemic has affected the medical tourism industry, with many patients struggling to afford the cost of travel and medical treatment. The economic downturn has led to many people losing their jobs or experiencing reduced income, making it difficult for them to prioritize medical tourism.The pandemic has caused a sharp decline in patient volume, and the industry is now faced with several challenges in jumpstarting itself. It will take time for the industry to recover, and stakeholders in the medical tourism industry will need to find innovative ways to rebuild patient trust and confidence in traveling abroad for medical treatment.
Ranking Medical Tourism Destinations
The Medical Tourism Index (MTI) is a tool that is used to rank countries based on their attractiveness as a medical tourism (medical travel) destination. The MTI is a comprehensive ranking system that evaluates various factors that contribute to a country's attractiveness as a medical tourism destination. The index is developed by the International Healthcare Research Center (IHRC), which is an independent research organization that specializes in healthcare and tourism research.
The MTI evaluates 41 indicators across five main categories, including:
1. Medical tourism industry: This category evaluates the size and competitiveness of a country's medical tourism industry, including the number of medical facilities, the availability of medical equipment, and the quality of medical services.
2. Country environment: This category evaluates the overall attractiveness of a country as a tourism destination, including the safety and security of the country, the quality of infrastructure, and the political stability of the country.
3. Medical tourism costs: This category evaluates the cost of medical procedures in the country, including the cost of medical treatments, accommodation, and transportation.
4. Medical tourism facilities: This category evaluates the quality of medical facilities in the country, including the availability of medical technology and the expertise of medical professionals.
5. Medical tourism potential: This category evaluates the potential for growth in the country's medical tourism industry, including the country's economic and demographic factors.
The MTI scores each country on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating a greater attractiveness as a medical tourism destination.
Findings after 2019
The most recent MTI report was published in 2020, which evaluated 46 countries around the world. Here are some of the key findings from the report:
1. Thailand ranked first in the MTI, with a score of 79.53. Thailand has a well-developed medical tourism industry, with high-quality medical facilities and relatively low medical costs.
2. India ranked second in the MTI, with a score of 72.47. India has a large and growing medical tourism industry, with a wide range of medical treatments available at relatively low costs.
3. Mexico ranked third in the MTI, with a score of 70.05. Mexico has a growing medical tourism industry, with high-quality medical facilities and affordable medical costs.
4. The United States ranked 9th in the MTI, with a score of 62.08. The US has a high-quality medical industry, but its high medical costs and complicated visa processes for medical tourists have impacted its ranking.
5. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the medical tourism industry, with many countries experiencing a decline in medical tourism due to travel restrictions and concerns about the safety of travel.
Overall, the MTI provides a useful tool for understanding the factors that contribute to a country's attractiveness as a medical tourism destination. However, it is important to note that the rankings can change over time, as countries continue to develop their medical tourism industry and the global healthcare landscape evolves.
