Switzerland puzzles many in medical tourism as it keeps increasing medical tourism numbers despite having some of the highest prices in the world. Lianne van den Bos of Euromonitor International explains, “The continued high prices in Switzerland, when compared to neighbouring European countries, is offputting especially for European tourists who see Switzerland as a high price country.
Switzerland puzzles many in medical tourism as it keeps increasing medical tourism numbers despite having some of the highest prices in the world.
Lianne van den Bos of Euromonitor International explains, “The continued high prices in Switzerland, when compared to neighbouring European countries, is offputting especially for European tourists who see Switzerland as a high price country.
But tourists coming from China, Asia and Middle East are far more concerned about quality. Medical tourism in Switzerland is seeing increased business from Brazil, Russia, India and China and Middle Eastern countries. Health and wellness tourism was one of the most profitable and growing tourism segments in Switzerland in 2012 despite high prices and competition from other European countries having similar natural landscapes such as Austria or Germany. Medical tourism represents the fastest-growing health and wellness category in Switzerland over the past five years with around 5 % growth in 2012.”
Being significantly higher priced than other medical tourism destinations such as Hungary or Germany, Switzerland attracts affluent medical tourists from all over the world. Private hospitals in Lausanne, Berne and Geneva are where medical tourists seek popular procedures, including medical spa treatments, cosmetic surgery, IVF treatment, neurosurgery, obesity surgery, and orthopaedic surgery.
Swiss hospitals also offer many other procedures including dentistry, laser eye surgery and laser hair removal.
Swiss health and wellness tourism is worth over CHF3 billion. It was one of the most growing sectors in 2012 together with being the second-largest market in Europe in the health and wellness tourism segment. Medical tourism accounts for 30% and spas for the remaining 70%, reports Euromonitor.
Sowmya Rajagopalan of Frost and Sullivan adds, “Tourism is a key sector for Switzerland’s economy. 6% of Switzerland’s export revenues come from tourism and around 17-20% of this revenue is contributed by health, wellness and medical tourism. It is mostly the affluent population from Russia, China and Gulf countries that look at Switzerland as the destination for medical and wellness tourism.”
The Swiss Hospital Association represents 300 hospitals and estimates that between 1 and 2% of all patients come from abroad, although it could be much higher. Switzerland’s main markets are the Gulf States, Russia, China, and former Soviet countries. Switzerland’s largest private health-care group, Hirslanden, has 14 hospitals and is seeking annual growth of 10% in foreign patients within the next five years. It gets many patients from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”
While medical treatment in Switzerland costs an average of CHF20,000, studies show that additional spending including shopping, hotel stay and entertainment means the real income from medical tourism is five to ten times higher – a substantial amount in this high priced country, and an explanation of why the Swiss are very keen on attracting health, wellness and medical tourism-particularly from high spenders from China, Russia and Gulf states.
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