Globally, the medical tourism sector’s worth was at around US$35 billion as of end-2025, and it is currently growing at a rate of 16.8 percent per annum.
The sector’s growth is primarily driven by the higher cost of medical care in more developed nations, prompting patients to seek health guidance and treatment outside of their home countries.
Indeed, medical tourism has proven a boon to those in the Asia-Pacific who contributed 46.43 percent of the sector’s total revenue in 2025, putting Thailand, Singapore, India, and Malaysia at the sector’s forefront.
For this year, we at Travel Daily Media are keeping a close watch on global medical tourism, particularly at five key trends that stand to influence its growth.
Emergent technologies
Technology in the context of medical tourism takes a cue from the telehealth trend that came into vogue throughout the isolation phase of the pandemic.
However, the telehealth we’ll be looking at goes well beyond the camera-enabled phone consultations seen from 2020 to 2022: contemporary telemedicine may eventually develop into virtual hospital scenarios that offer consultations and patient monitoring remotely.
Such innovations come at the beginning of a patient’s healthcare journey, as it will enable them to receive expert opinions well before the trip to the actual treatment site.
Artificial intelligence is another innovation that could change the game, not only in terms of diagnostics, but also in managing the full patient experience from cross-border triage and scheduling, to the analysis of lab results and the management of post-operative care.
Going farther for complex treatments
While going overseas to receive surgical or specialised treatment is nothing new, this sub-sector is set to grow substantially this year.
It is estimated that the number of those going overseas for complex treatments stands to grow by 40 percent throughout 2026, with countries like Turkiye taking in many such cases, especially for cardiology and oncology.
Turkiye is also making a name for itself with regard to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), but Southeast Asian players are also out for a piece of the action, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
This particular trend is expected to be driven by the implementation of long-stay medical visa programmes, along with specialised personnel who can help patients and their families manage their time overseas.
The rise of hyperpersonalised medical care
The old adage One man’s cure could be another man’s poison is one that strongly applies to medical care.
The introduction of genetic testing, in particular, has enabled physicians to predict a patient’s response to treatments, whether these are surgical or pharmaceutical in nature.
This will result in treatment and care plans that are unique to each patient, enabling them to recover faster with less in the way of side effects.
As such testing and personalisation are not available in the majority of nations as yet, patients will need to travel to Australia, Japan, or the United Kingdom to avail of such services.
Here comes the healthcation
Combining medical treatments and much needed rest and recreation sounds like a reasonable mix, and it is a trend we could be seeing more of this year.
Indeed, one portmanteau we’ve been seeing more of online is healthcation, a state where leisure is integrated into the process of medical treatment, along with holistic wellness and post-procedural rehabilitation.
This level of holistic care is already being offered at places like Thailand’s Chiva-Som Hua Hin and The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines, properties that not only offer wellness amenities, but also integrated medicine clinics, partnerships with hospitals and speciality clinics, and a bevy of nutritionists, coaches, and counselors on staff.
While most programmes offered at these facilities revolve around rehabilitation and holistic wellness, 2026 could see their expansion into longevity treatments, especially among properties in the famed Blue Zones.
Second-tier cities come to the fore
While the bulk of medical tourism is often concentrated in capital cities, we are currently seeing the expansion of related services into second-tier cities.
This is especially true in India, as cities like Jaipur, Amritsar, Lucknow, and Chandigarh are successfully drawing patients away from the congested facilities in Delhi and Mumbai with high-quality care and facilities.
Second-tier cities also offer patients more competitive pricing, as well as shorter wait times for procedures, boosting their attractiveness with foreign patients.
We also see this trend making waves in places like Thailand and Malaysia, where second- and even third-tier cities are becoming visible as key venues for medical tourism.
Indeed, 2026 looks like a promising year for medical tourism as a whole, ensuring that people get the best possible care anywhere in the world.
