Vietnam has the potential and room to break through the medical tourism market.

On the morning of August 26, at NovaWorld Phan Thiet, Tien Thanh ward, Lam Dong province (formerly Binh Thuan), the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management (Ministry of Health) held a national conference on medical tourism associated with sustainable development.

The conference was attended by nearly 200 delegates from relevant ministries, departments, branches and hospitals under the Ministry of Health , provinces, cities and the private health sector.

According to the report, the global medical tourism market will reach 100 billion USD in 2024, with an annual growth rate of 15 to 25%. In Vietnam, the market size will reach about 700 million USD in 2024 and is forecast to reach nearly 4 billion USD in 2033, with an average growth rate of 18%/year. These figures show Vietnam's great potential and room for strong breakthroughs in this field.

Nearly 200 delegates attended the conference

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan stated that developing medical tourism is a task assigned by the Politburo to the health sector in the draft Resolution on a number of breakthrough solutions to strengthen the protection, care and improvement of people's health by 2030, with a vision to 2045.

The Deputy Minister emphasized that Vietnam has all the conditions to become an attractive destination for medical tourism. The hospital system and medical facilities are increasingly modern; many advanced medical techniques such as cardiovascular intervention, fetal intervention, organ transplantation, etc. have affirmed the professional position of the Vietnamese medical team on the world medical map.

In addition, the long-standing traditional medicine, rich in cultural identity, brings the potential to develop unique treatment and relaxation products that few countries have. Reasonable costs, beautiful natural landscapes, and friendly people are also the plus points for Vietnam's medical tourism to make a difference.

To turn potential into reality, recently, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to develop a project to develop medical tourism and high-quality medical examination and treatment services for the period 2025-2030, aiming to make Vietnam a regional healthcare center.

Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan speaks at the conference

To realize the project, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan suggested that the health sector must improve the quality of medical services according to international standards, and establish hospitals and medical centers capable of receiving and treating international tourists. At the same time, each locality needs to develop specific medical tourism products, associated with its strengths, from elderly care resorts, traditional medicine therapy, rehabilitation, to combining with eco-tourism and culture.

The policy and legal system needs to be improved, including a medical visa mechanism, encouraging flexible public-private partnerships, and strongly mobilizing the participation of the private sector in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 68 of the Politburo. A synchronous and modern promotional strategy, associated with building a national brand for medical tourism, must also be vigorously implemented, so that Vietnam is widely recognized on the global medical-tourism map, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan added.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/viet-nam-co-tiem-nang-va-du-dia-de-but-pha-thi-truong-du-lich-y-te-20250827082842732.htm