Malaysia has a competitive edge to be a medical tourism hub and so far the health tourism industry has recorded a new high last year as revenue grossed was RM2.72 billion, surpassing the target for the year by 9 percent.

The Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) disclosed that the industry achieved a record volume after serving over 1.6 million foreign patients in private healthcare facilities nationwide in the year 2024 which is an 18 percent year-on-year increase.

MHTC is an agency under the Health Ministry responsible for promoting Malaysia as a healthcare travel destination and has 82 healthcare providers registered under them, including 58 private hospitals and ambulatory care and dental clinics.

The competitive edge the nation has in medical tourism includes an affordable healthcare system, a stable currency in the Ringgit, and the availability of halal-compliant services makes it a preferred destination for Muslim medical tourists.

MHTC highlighted the impact that health tourism has on the country’s economy as it not only drives revenue but also creates employment opportunities and stimulates growth in other sectors such as hospitality, transportation and retail.

This has inspired and motivated MHTC to target RM12 billion in healthcare travel revenue by 2030 through integrated healthcare strategies, which is to combine modern medicine, traditional and complementary medicine, wellness and anti-ageing.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE