Tag Archives: Medical Tourism

According to SNS Insider Research, the global medical tourism industry is expected to be worth US$70.18 billion by 2032, which was initially valued at US$10.78 billion in 2023. This represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.52 per cent over the 2024–32 period.

Addressing the 2nd “Healthcare Summit” of the American Chamber of India, Jitendra Singh, MoS, Science & Technology, said, “Gone are the days when people used to visit other developed nations to access medical facilities, India has become the most sought-after destination for medical tourism and is among the frontline nations in preventive healthcare.” 

As per Future Insights Market forecast, India’s medical tourism is estimated to be valued at US$ 10,362.9 million in 2024. It is projected to surpass US$ 50,670.5 million by 2034. The industry growth in India is expected to develop at 17.20 per cent CAGR from 2024 to 2034. The surge is the result of rise in demand for cost-effective healthcare facilities.

Speaking during the Indian Chamber of Commerce’s Round Table Discussion, Subhash Goyal, Chairman, ICC Tourism Committee, said, “As Tier I cities are already well connected through aviation, India needs to promote other domestic hubs like spiritual circuits, wildlife parks, islands, and the locations that are famous for Medical Tourism, which is a 5 trillion-dollar industry. Hence, the Aviation Ministry needs to develop these routes for better connectivity and access as it can boost the inbound numbers in India.”

Shripad Yesso Naik, Union Minister of State for Tourism, stressed on the importance of coming up with a new medical tourism policy. “In order to improve medical tourism, the government in the upcoming budget will include subsidies and benefits for patients coming to India,” he said.

Medical tourists to India has increased, rising from 1.83 lakh in 2020 to 5.04 lakh in 2023 (till October). Union Minister for Culture, Tourism, and DoNER, G. Kishan Reddy, stated that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has announced loans totalling $14.8 billion to enhance infrastructure.

Government of India’s e-Medical Visa and e-Medical Attendant Visa is permitting triple entry and extension up to 6 months on case to case basis on merits of each case by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officers/Foreigners Registration Officer concerned. 

India generated an income of $7.4 billion through medical tourism over the last decade, and the figure is expected to rise to $43.5 billion in the next 10 years, officials said. The health sector in India has seen many private investments in the past five years

Highlighting India’s progress in promoting health and wellness tourism, state tourism minister, Shripad Naik noted that the country witnessed more than 1.4 million medical tourists in the past one year, making it one of the top destinations for medical tourism. He also urged delegates to collectively contribute to a more holistic and sustainable approach to global health and appealed that they engage in meaningful discussion on various aspects of the global health architecture. 

SS Dev Barman, Regional Director, Indiatourism North East, has said that the region provides an immense opportunity for medical tourism which can attract tourists from Southeast Asian countries. Besides this, he adds, the Northeast is endowed with diverse tourist attractions, biodiversity, wildlife and prominent archaeological sites, and each state has its own distinct features.