Medical Tourism Industry Statistics - Market Size, Share, Growth Rate, Trends Analysis & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

Medical Tourism Market Insights and Trends

By Treatment Type, Bariatric Surgery Treatment Segment is Anticipated to Lead Growth Statistics Within the Medical Tourism Market

Bariatric surgery is conducted on people suffering from severe obesity to facilitate substantial weight loss when other approaches, like diet and exercise, have not worked. This surgical procedure modifies the digestive system, limiting food consumption and changing nutrient absorption. The bariatric surgery segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate, witnessing a CAGR of 19.19%. The market of bariatric surgery segment of treatment type is forecasted to be USD 6.3 billion in 2024 and reach USD 15.1 billion by 2029. The increasing prevalence of obesity and its associated risks are anticipated to significantly influence the market and boost the demand for bariatric surgery globally. For instance, the data published in the World Obesity Atlas 2024, reported that by 2035, 79% of adults who are overweight or obese will live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Afghanistan and Bangladesh, among others. Additionally, as per the above-mentioned source, it was anticipated that over 750 million children aged 5 to 19 globally will be classified as overweight or obese based on their body mass by 2035. This is equivalent to approximately two out of every five children worldwide, with most in middle-income countries such as China, India, Turkey, and others. Hence, the significant prevalence of obesity in low and middle-income countries and middle-income countries is anticipated to boost the demand for cost-effective bariatric surgery, fuelling the segment growth. The low treatment cost associated with bariatric surgery in developing countries is expected to attract patients from developed countries, thus boosting the market's growth. For instance, an article published by the Medical Tourism Corporation in March 2024 mentioned that various patients from Western countries, including the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland, travel to India for sleeve gastrectomy surgery. This trend is primarily driven by cost effective options, skilled bariatric surgeons, high-quality hospitals, and no wait times. Thus, due to such factors, patients are likely to opt for developing countries for bariatric surgery, thus contributing to segment growth.

The Cosmetic Treatment Segment is Anticipated to Experience Substantial Growth Throughout the Forecast Period

By treatment type, medical tourism industry statistics forecast cosmetic treatment segment to hold the largest market share, projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.66% from 2024 to 2029, with estimated market size values of USD 10.5 billion by 2024, reaching an estimated value of USD 24.6 billion by 2029.

Medical tourism is a crucial aspect of cosmetic treatment as it allows people to obtain top-notch cosmetic procedures at a significantly lower cost than in their home countries. Countries, especially in Southeast Asia and Latin America, gained a strong reputation for delivering excellent cosmetic services at affordable prices. This price benefit frequently attracts medical tourists from expensive healthcare systems in North America, Western Europe, and other developed areas. Additionally, the increasing number of cosmetic surgical procedures globally drives the segment growth.

The medical tourism market is segmented by treatment type. By treatment type, the market is segmented into cosmetic treatment, dental treatment, cardiovascular treatment, orthopedics treatment, bariatric treatment, fertility treatment, ophthalmic treatment, cancer treatment, neurology treatment, pneumology treatment, ear, nose and throat treatment, obstetrics and gynecology treatment and other treatments. Other treatment types encompass organ, cell, and tissue transplantation, care for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and rehabilitation tourism for substance use disorders, among various others. This segmentation aids in identifying target markets, customizing services, and creating effective marketing strategies to address the needs of various patient groups worldwide.

Asia Pacific is Anticipated to Capture a Substantial Medical Tourism Market Share Throughout the Forecast Period

The Asia Pacific medical tourism market growth rate is forecast to witness a CAGR of 22.38% during 2024-2029, with projections valuing it at USD 27.24 billion in 2024 and rising to USD 74.76 billion by 2029. The medical tourism market in Asia Pacific is projected to expand during the forecast period due to various factors, including the government's rising focus on promoting medical tourism with high-quality services, reduced cost of medical treatment as compared to many other developed countries and cost-effective treatment, and the presence of highly trained professionals.

The increasing government initiatives to promote medical tourism in the Asia Pacific countries are expected to boost this region’s health tourism market growth during the forecast period. For instance, in August 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs, India, created a new visa category, the Ayush Visa, for foreign nationals who are keen to visit the country for medical treatment, including therapeutic care, wellness, and yoga in India. Further, in March 2023, the Union Government of India launched a Heal in India campaign to promote India’s medical facilities and infrastructure with plans to standardize processes and treatment packages for foreign nationals. With this launch, the government intends to boost Indian health care globally and to make medical value travel (MVT) size 13 billion by 2026. Such initiatives are expected to boost medical tourism in India, as well as strengthen the endeavor of making Indian traditional medicine a global phenomenon. Consequently, these initiatives are poised to drive market growth in the Asia Pacific in the years ahead.

Moreover, as more patients flock to countries like South Korea, the demand for top-notch services and diverse treatment options surges, propelling the growth of the region's. For instance, according to the data published by the Ministry of Health, South Korea, in April 2023, it was observed that the number of foreign patients who visited the country for treatment in 2022 reached 248,000, with a rise of 70% as compared previous year. It further highlighted that about 22.3% of foreign patients visited South Korea for integrated internal medicine, including general internal and family medicine and infectious disease, followed by plastic surgery with 15.8%, dermatology with 12.3%, and physical check-ups with 6.6%.  As per the above-mentioned source, the number of American patients who visited South Korea for medical treatment increased by 52.6% and Chinese by 56.8%. Thus, the rising number of patients seeking plastic surgery and dermatology treatments in the APAC countries is expected to increase the number of medical tourists, which, in turn, is expected to boost the market growth during the forecast period.

Thus, the Asia Pacific medical tourism industry is set for significant expansion, propelled by cutting-edge healthcare facilities, technological innovations, and government funding focused on improving healthcare services.

By geography, the global market is segmented into North America (United States, Canada, Mexico), Europe (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea, Rest of Asia-Pacific), Middle East and Africa (GCC, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa), and South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America). The East Africa and Asia Pacific regions, especially countries like China, Japan, and India, are witnessing significant growth due to several factors, including access to affordable treatment costs, the availability of cutting edge medical technologies, high-quality service, and increasing adherence to international quality standards.