Record year for Malaysia medical tourism

Malaysia claims more than 850,000 medical tourists in 2015 and revenue of more than RM900 million. Most medical tourists are from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, the UK the Middle East and Africa.

Malaysia claims more than 850,000 medical tourists in 2015 and revenue of more than RM900 million, according to the Health Ministry. Whether or not this includes health and wellness tourists is unclear. Half came from Indonesia.

For 2016, the government is targeting revenue of RM 1.3 billion. The 2015 revenue of RM900 million compares to RM777 million in 2014. This is revenue from hospitals and does not include additional expenses by medical tourists, such as hotel and other expenses.

Most medical tourists are from Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, India, Japan, the UK the Middle East and Africa. Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council sees Thailand and Singapore as its main competitors. The government spends RM20 million a year to promote and develop medical tourism and wants the private sector to take over this role in the future.

Malaysia Airlines has signed an agreement with government agency Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council for joint marketing activities to position Malaysia as an international medical tourism destination.

The national carrier also becomes the preferred healthcare tourism airline for MHTC, which will see it sponsor tickets for medical familiarisation trips to Malaysia and offer discounted rates for medical tourists visiting the country.