Beyond Borders – Medical and Health Tourism from Local to Global

Medical tourism refers to the practice of travel to a different country to receive medical care. This could include medical treatment, procedures, or surgery, such as infertility treatment, dental, or cosmetic procedures. Health tourism is a related term which includes terms such as therapeutic tourism, spa tourism, curative tourism involving wellness, preventive aspects of health, and also treatment. It includes health promotion, prevention, and treatment. Many times these terms are used interchangeably.[1,2] Health is the most important and precious aspect of human life and development, which can be neither purchased nor sold but needs to be taken care of greatly.[3] Medical tourism is not a new concept. High healthcare costs locally, long waiting time in the local country, availability of easy travel options, better specialized care and technology elsewhere have led to more and more people opting for medical tourism.[4] Sometimes medical tourism is also combined with leisure and recreation. Traditionally, people from less developed countries used to travel to developed countries for better treatment, but presently it has evolved; we have people from the developed world also traveling for medical care. This is sometimes referred as ‘reverse medical tourism’.[5] The global medical tourism market size was valued at USD 31.23 billion in 2024. The market is projected to grow from USD 38.20 billion in 2025 to USD 162.80 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 23.0% during the forecast period. Europe dominated the medical tourism market with a market share of 36.41% in 2024.[6] The increasing prevalence of conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disorders, dental disorders, and also the growing need for cosmetic and wellness procedures among others in the population, along with rising healthcare costs in developed nationsare some of the factors driving the global health tourism market.[7] Countries that are known to attract people for medical tourism are Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, India, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Mexico, and Brazil.[8] The factors considered while selecting the destination predominantly includes – (a) Destination (b) Competitiveness, (c) Tourist Attitude, and (d) Service and Cost.[9] Roman et al. did a co-word analysis and identified four research clusters related to the topic of health tourism. They are patient satisfaction built upon trust; health impacts of the destination; health behavior; and traveling with a view to regain one’s health.[3] In the post-COVID era and with the growth of telemedicine, use of online technology for consultation and treatment has become popular as there is an easy access to care from a distant place. This can reduce the unnecessary travel and saves on time and cost. The challenges faced are with travel, documentation for visa, language barriers, adaptation to local customs, postoperative care, and legal procedures. One of the noteworthy aspects of India’s Healthcare System is its skilled healthcare force, fluency in English, and affordability, thereby, making it accessible to a broad spectrum of local and foreign patients. India has established itself as a prime destination for medical tourists seeking top-notch healthcare at a fraction of the price compared to Western countries. There is a range of health promotion/treatment and wellness procedures such as the Ayurveda, Yoga, traditional healing, naturopathy, homeopathy, and many others, which attract people.[10] The advantages of being a health tourism destination are multiple for the local population. It benefits by improving the health of the people, the upliftment of the local economy and also showcases the soft power of the nation. The beginning can be made in cities and at the state level, which can then improve further to attract people beyond the borders. There is a growing need to develop and promote health tourism for the benefit of everyone – local to global.