The targets are set out in a draft plan for developing medical tourism between 2026 and 2030, which is currently open for consultation.
An American visitor undergoes an eye examination at Vietnam-Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital (Photo: Hospital).
Medical tourism in Vietnam has made some initial progress. According to reports and statistics from the health and tourism sectors, about 300,000 international visitors use medical services in Vietnam each year.
Total spending by this group is estimated at USD 1-2 billion annually, including healthcare services as well as accommodation, travel and food expenses. Separate figures for medical service revenue are not currently available.
The figures include both foreigners residing in Vietnam who regularly use local healthcare services and international visitors who travel specifically to Vietnam for treatment.
Medical tourism is concentrated in several key destinations. Ho Chi Minh City leads the country, accounting for about 40 per cent of international medical tourists, supported by its well-developed specialised healthcare system and active tourism promotion. Hanoi ranks second.
Danang, Hue and Khanh Hoa are gradually developing medical tourism products based on their strengths in resort tourism and traditional medicine.
In terms of source markets, medical tourists coming to Vietnam are mainly overseas Vietnamese and visitors from Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Japan, Australia and several European countries.
The most commonly used services include cosmetic dentistry, assisted reproduction, cosmetic procedures, general health check-ups and several high-tech medical specialties.
Several obstacles remain
Despite the progress, medical tourism in Vietnam faces several limitations. The country does not yet have a dedicated and comprehensive legal framework governing medical tourism. Standardised service packages are still at an early stage, making it difficult to compare prices and quality.
Existing financial regulations do not allow public healthcare facilities to fully calculate the cost of services provided to foreign patients. Direct settlement with international health insurers is currently available only at some private facilities.
Vietnam also lacks a national medical tourism brand.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese citizens are estimated to spend USD 2-3 billion a year on medical treatment abroad, more than the country's total revenue from medical tourists. This indicates that the sector currently runs a deficit in terms of the balance of medical tourism flows.
The international market presents opportunities for Vietnam. Global medical tourism revenue in 2024 was estimated at between about USD 40 billion and more than USD 100 billion, with annual growth forecast at roughly 8-16 per cent through 2035.
The Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow faster than the global average. Countries in the region, including Thailand and South Korea, introduced national medical tourism programmes relatively early.
The draft plan aims to establish a unified national policy framework, strengthen institutions, develop medical tourism products and a national brand, and gradually turn medical tourism into a high-value, cross-sector service industry while positioning Vietnam as a trusted medical tourism destination in the region.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to become one of the most competitive medical tourism destinations in Southeast Asia and gradually move into the leading group in Asia.
The plan also seeks to establish and promote a national "Vietnam Medical Tourism" brand internationally, while expanding access to high-quality healthcare for Vietnamese citizens and reducing the number of people travelling abroad for medical treatment.
The draft plan would be implemented in two phases.
The first phase, from 2026 to 2028, would focus on gradually completing the regulatory framework and piloting integrated medical tourism models in five to seven key destinations.
The second phase, from 2029 to 2030, would expand the programme nationwide, with a mid-term review at the end of 2029 and a final assessment in 2030.
One of the key targets is for at least 20 hospitals to meet international quality standards by 2030, including at least five public hospitals.
The plan also aims to introduce at least 30 standardised medical tourism packages, as well as launch a multilingual national medical tourism portal and a national medical tourism database from 2028.
A national brand identity for "Vietnam Medical Tourism" will also be introduced and implemented consistently.
By 2030, Vietnam aims to attract about 750,000 international medical tourists. Direct revenue from medical treatment and healthcare services is targeted at about USD 1 billion, while total spending by tourists and accompanying persons is projected to reach about USD 2.5 billion.
