The Hanoi Department of Health, in partnership with Hanoi Oncology Hospital, held a conference on July 3 titled Developing medical tourism in Hanoi: From policy to practice, bringing together government officials, hospitals, travel companies and domestic and international experts.
The event marked an initial step towards strengthening links between the healthcare and tourism sectors as the capital seeks to establish itself as a regional destination for high quality medical services.
Hanoi seen as well placed for medical tourism
With medical tourism expanding rapidly worldwide, experts said Hanoi possesses several competitive advantages.
As Vietnam's political and cultural centre, the capital offers a rich heritage, improving transport infrastructure and one of the country's most advanced healthcare systems. Hanoi is home to many of Vietnam's leading referral hospitals, specialised medical centres, modern equipment and highly experienced specialists across a wide range of disciplines.
Speaking at the conference, Nguyen Dinh Hung, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said countries including Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Thailand had successfully developed medical tourism into a high value economic sector.
Nguyen Dinh Hung, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Health speaks at the conference (Photo: Organising committee).
He said Hanoi had the potential to follow a similar path because of its concentration of medical expertise.
"Hanoi is Vietnam's largest healthcare centre, offering world class expertise in organ transplantation, cardiovascular medicine, oncology, assisted reproduction, rehabilitation and traditional medicine.
"These strengths are not only vital for improving public healthcare but also provide a solid foundation for developing medical tourism," Hung said.
Delegates attend the seminar (Photo: Organising committee).
Five priorities for development
The Hanoi Department of Health said the 2026 to 2030 period presents favourable conditions for expanding medical tourism, supported by a series of new policies and sector specific incentives.
To achieve its goal of becoming a high quality medical tourism hub in Southeast Asia, the department has identified five strategic priorities.
The first is to establish an integrated healthcare network linking central government hospitals, ministry affiliated hospitals, public and private healthcare providers and high technology clinics to deliver seamless medical services.
The second is to develop specialised treatment packages in areas where Hanoi already has recognised expertise, including oncology, cardiovascular care, dentistry, cosmetic surgery, stem cell therapy, traditional medicine and elderly care, enhancing the city's competitiveness in international markets.
Another priority is accelerating digital transformation through smart hospitals, artificial intelligence applications and electronic health records to improve the patient experience for residents, overseas Vietnamese and international visitors.
The healthcare sector also plans to build an integrated ecosystem connecting hospitals with travel agencies, airlines, hotels, insurance providers and interpretation services to offer end to end medical tourism packages.
The fifth priority is promoting the international brand of "Hanoi, a high quality healthcare centre".
"When patients choose Hanoi not only to visit a capital with more than a thousand years of history, but also because they trust the quality of its medical treatment, healthcare and rehabilitation services, that will be the true measure of success for the capital's healthcare sector in this new phase," Hung said.