Medical tourism fails to leverage Vietnam’s 21 million int'l arrivals

Vietnam attracts foreign visitors with its natural landscapes, rich cuisine, and hospitality, Dr. Duong Huy Luong, deputy head of the Department of Medical Service Administration, said at the opening ceremony of Pharmedi Vietnam 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday.

However, medical tourism remains a market that has yet to be developed in line with its potential.

Of the nearly 21 million international arrivals in Vietnam in 2025, only a small proportion came seeking medical services, he noted.

Meanwhile, Vietnamese people continue to spend billions of dollars each year on medical treatment abroad.

Dr. Luong said the medical tourism and healthcare market offers significant growth potential.

Around the world, several countries including Thailand, South Korea, Japan and the United States have attracted large numbers of international visitors who combine tourism with medical services.

In Southeast Asia, Thailand and Malaysia have developed particularly strong medical tourism markets.

Thailand, for example, drew around three million international patients for medical services two years ago, generating nearly $3 billion in medical revenue.

When related healthcare and wellness services were included, the figure exceeded $20 billion, making Thailand the regional leader.

By comparison, Vietnam’s medical tourism revenue is currently estimated at only around $1 billion.

In fact, Vietnam has considerable advantages for developing the sector.

The country has mastered nearly 90 percent of medical techniques currently used worldwide.

Apart from more than 400 private hospitals, Vietnam offers competitive treatment costs, political and social stability, security, attractive tourist destinations and traditional medicine.

The department is working with relevant agencies to develop a medical tourism development scheme for submission to the government.

The plan aims to establish sustainable medical tourism products that combine medical treatment with healthcare, retreat and tourism.

Achieving this goal will require improvements to regulatory and policy frameworks, including research into long-term visa policies for medical tourists.

Authorities also need to establish and publish standards that allow foreign patients to select suitable hospitals from abroad, develop a national medical tourism brand and standardize medical tourism service packages.

The country aims to earn $2.5 billion in medical tourism annually.

Technological innovation as key driver

Addressing the event, Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen emphasized that scientific and technological development, innovation and digital transformation are among the key drivers of Vietnam’s rapid and sustainable development.

For the healthcare sector, applying scientific and technological advances is particularly important to strengthening the country’s capacity in disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and healthcare management.

The ministry is actively adopting various solutions involving digital technology, artificial intelligence and big data in healthcare management and service delivery.

In addition, the ministry is promoting administrative reforms to facilitate investment by businesses in research, development and the production of high-quality healthcare products and services that meet the requirements of international integration.

Pharmedi Vietnam continues to serve as a practical forum for introducing new technologies, connecting scientists, healthcare institutions and businesses, promoting cooperation and technology transfer, and bringing scientific advances into practical healthcare.