Overview
➢ In 2023, India’s medical tourism industry experienced substantial expansion, propelled by the nation’s cost-effective treatment options, superior medical infrastructure and amenities, and very brief treatment wait times. India had a 33% year-over-year rise in foreign medical tourism foot traffic in 2023.
➢ The continuous social and political turmoil in Bangladesh, which usually makes up between 50% and 60% of India’s entire The influx of foreign medical tourists has had a major impact on medical travel to India. A considerable number of these travellers have either cancelled or postponed their visits. CareEdge Ratings anticipates that if the unrest persists, the footfalls are likely to decline by 10-15% from Bangladesh during 2024.
➣ About 3% to 5% of all hospitals in India are impacted by medical tourism. Considering the
drop in footfalls from Bangladesh along with its gradual revival to normalcy by the end of 2024, CareEdge
Ratings expects a minimal impact on the sector.
Healing Vacations: The rationale behind India’s popularity as a medical tourism destination
India’s medical tourism industry has been gradually growing in recent years due to the country’s comparatively inexpensive cost of surgery, excellent critical care, state-of-the-art facilities, and growing e-medical visa program. Despite the fact that medical tourism increased somewhat in 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic’s severe effects, Previous year, because of the continuous travel restrictions in some areas of that year, it stayed muted. But by 2022 saw a notable resurgence, with medical travel almost reaching pre-Covid levels, and the pattern persisted. demonstrating a 33% yearly increase in 2023. The effort by the Indian government to expand the e-medical visa The provision of this facility to citizens of 167 nations is anticipated to increase medical tourism in the upcoming years.
India is a prominent destination for medical tourism worldwide, with South Asian, African, and Middle Eastern nations favoring it the most. It is anticipated that the medical tourism sector will continue to rise due to the programs of the Indian government, such “Heal in India.” This is especially advantageous for hospitals in large cities. most since they stand to gain the most from the flood of patients from outside. Approximately 70–80% of medical visitors that arrive in India is a nation of Middle Eastern and Bangladeshi descent.
Between 50 and 60 percent of all visitors to India for medical care come from Bangladesh. This is mostly due to a number of variables, including comparable cultures and languages, high-quality care at reasonable costs, and availability of cutting-edge facilities, among others. Among its neighbors, Bangladesh is the country that contributes the most to medical tourism. countries, outpacing Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives, and the Middle East. This demonstrates Bangladesh’s important part in the medical tourism industry in India. But Bangladesh’s current sociopolitical unrest presents a
