Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market Size, Share, Growth, and Industry Analysis, By Type (Treatment Packages, Travel & Accommodation, & Consultation Services), By Application (Cosmetic Surgery, Dental, Cardiology, & Orthopedics), and Regional Insights and Forecast to 2034

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OUTBOUND MEDICAL TOURISM SERVICES MARKET OVERVIEW

The global Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market size was USD 3.26  billion in 2025, is expected to rise to USD 3.53 billion in 2026, and is forecasted to reach USD 7.32 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of about  8.42% throughout the period 2025-2034.

The Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market is an international market wherein patients travel across boundaries to access medical treatment, frequently seeking low-cost, quality care not obtainable or simply too costly in their native land. Hospitalization, travel, and follow-up are among the services for this market. Facilitators in this market are increased healthcare expenditure, waiting times, and access to specialist treatment overseas. Hotspots include Mexico, Thailand, and India, where affordable surgery and experienced care are within reach. The market continues to expand as the patient becomes more informed and overseas health care access improves.

KEY FINDINGS

COVID-19 IMPACT

Outbound Medical Tourism Services Industry Had a Negative Effect Due to uncertainty and restrictions during COVID-19 Pandemic

The global COVID-19 pandemic has been unprecedented and staggering, with the market experiencing lower-than-anticipated demand across all regions compared to pre-pandemic levels. The sudden market growth reflected by the rise in CAGR is attributable to the market’s growth and demand returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The COVID-19 pandemic also heavily affected the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market and reduced global patient travel by a sharp margin. Frontiers were closed, airplanes were grounded, and quarantine rules halted medical tourism trips and caused mass cancellations of appointments. The majority of the patients postponed or cancelled foreign treatment sessions because of fear of infection and foreign travel bans. Foreign hospitals that had hired foreign patients lost a lot financially and had low-capacity utilization. Uncertainty at the global level and overloading of healthcare systems across the globe also affected the market decline during pandemic time.

LATEST TRENDS

Telemedicine Adoption Drives Market Growth Globally

Among the most recent trends of the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market is the fast adoption of telemedicine for patient care so that distant consulting, treatment planning, and follow-up pre- and post-travel can be made possible. Indeed, virtual evaluation has grown by 42%, and more than 1,000 hospitals worldwide have embraced online platforms for more streamlined care coordination. This transition increases trust and transparency and decreases barriers to patients making life-altering healthcare choices at home. While technologically facilitated reservation websites coordinate more than 70% of travel and treatment arrangements, telehealth is still the number one destination, closing the gap between home and foreign care and leaving a trail of continuity on healing. Offerors who are offering bundled telemedicine-enabled packages are therefore establishing a competitive advantage in the evolving environment.

• According to the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), outbound medical travelers from the United States represent nearly 10% of the global medical tourism base, with an estimated 150,000–320,000 Americans (0.2%–0.6% of total U.S. international air passengers) traveling abroad for treatments each year.

• Data from the Indian Ministry of Tourism shows that in 2017, approximately 495,000 international medical travelers (around 15% of India’s total foreign tourist arrivals that year) visited India for healthcare, strengthening the country’s global medical tourism appeal.

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OUTBOUND MEDICAL TOURISM SERVICES MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Type

Based on Type, the global market can be categorized into Treatment Packages, Travel & Accommodation, & Consultation Services

• Treatment Packages: Outpatient medical tourism treatment packages typically consist of surgery or treatments with hospital, diagnostic, and general recovery care. Treatment packages are charged and made convenient with transparent costing and hence more sought after by the patients. Treatments in demand with high acceptability are dental surgery, cosmetic treatment, orthopedic treatment, and fertility treatment. Low-cost and quality treatment in India and Thailand lead the patients to order treatment packages.

• Travel & Accommodation: Convenience is offered to the medical tourists by travel and accommodation facilities to book flights, airport pickup, and residence near treatment centres. The service providers mostly work with hospitals and hospitality groups to offer discounted tariffs and medical-friendly residences. The facilities assist in saving planning troubles and offering comfort to the patients during recovery. Increased expectations by the patients have also resulted in customized travel aid as a significant market driver.

• Consultation Services: Second-opinion services and pre-treatment teleconsultations with overseas doctors are some of the consultation services. The services allow patients to weigh their options, be assured of overseas healthcare professionals, and make an informed choice. Teleconsultations have gained widespread popularity post-COVID, allowing for improved coordination and less advance travel. Teleconsultations are a key facilitator in making it easier to collaborate among home-country physicians and overseas specialists.

By Application

Based on application, the global market can be categorized into Cosmetic Surgery, Dental, Cardiology, & Orthopedics

• Cosmetic Surgery: The most prominent application segment of outbound medical tourism is cosmetic surgery, wherein people travel overseas to receive cosmetic treatments like facelifts, liposuction, nose surgeries, and breast implants. The reasons for excessive treatment costs and absence of insurance coverage in home countries propel individuals to seek affordable treatments overseas from the home country. South Korea, Brazil, and Turkey lead the list of the most popular due to the provision of high-class beauty therapies along with very experienced physicians. There is still demand with increased social acceptability and global demand for cosmetic treatments.

• Dental: Dental tourism is attractive to customers requiring implants, crowns, root canals, and aesthetic dentistry at much lower costs. Mexico, Hungary, and India are being travelled to because they possess world-class clinics and well-trained dental surgeons. Short recovery times render dental treatments even more popular in outbound medical tourism. Increasingly, package deals encompassing treatment, transportation, and accommodation are rendering this industry more fashionable.

• Cardiology: Those requiring advanced and costly cardiac procedures like bypass surgery, angioplasty, or valve replacement are ready to go abroad for good quality at a reasonable cost. India and Thailand boast well-established cardiac centres with internationally recognized cardiac hospitals and qualified cardiologists. Excessive health care expenditures in the home country and lengthy waiting times also encourage outward travel for cardiac interventions. Telehealth needs to be integrated into follow-up after surgery for cardiology care since it is time-consuming to schedule.

• Orthopedics: Outbound medical tourists most desire orthopedics procedures, including joint replacement, spine surgery, and sports injury rehabilitation. Many patients opt for treatment overseas because they enjoy shorter waiting times, well-trained physicians, and affordable but quality facilities. India, Germany, and Singapore are becoming the major orthopedics treatment destinations. Rehabilitation assistance and post-recovery services through online sites are increasing the patient experience in this type.

MARKET DYNAMICS

Market dynamics include driving and restraining factors, opportunities and challenges stating the market conditions.

Driving Factor

High Global Healthcare Costs Spur Market Growth

One of the most powerful pull forces in the outbound medical tourism services industry is the extremely high price of medical treatment in affluent nations like the United States, Canada, and the UK. All the operations, particularly uninsured or non-obligatory operations, cost significantly less in other countries, even as much as 60-80% in certain situations. This difference in cost exposes people to going for low-cost treatment in places like India, Thailand, and Mexico without sacrificing the quality. Owing to increasing healthcare costs globally, an increasing number of people are increasingly shifting toward medical tourism as the cost-effective option.

• The Medical Tourism Association notes that medical procedures in destinations such as Mexico and Thailand can cost 50%–70% less than comparable U.S. procedures, influencing nearly 40% of uninsured or underinsured Americans to seek treatment abroad.

• Reports highlight that India attracts around 500,000 foreign patients annually (close to 16% of its foreign patient pool), supported by nearly 20,000 specialized hospital beds (around 12% of its private hospital capacity) dedicated to international patients.

es Accelerate Market Growth

Overly long waiting lists for surgery and specialist care in the public health system also drive the outward medical tourism industry. With overwhelmed healthcare systems within many nations, patients sometimes wait months for non-emergency procedures. In pursuit of quicker access to emergency care, numerous people are abandoning their home nation for improved scheduling and more efficient delivery of care overseas. Increased frustration and desire for earlier treatment are pushing patients to pursue quicker offshore options.

Restraining Factor

Post-treatment Challenges Hinder Market Growth Potential

A number of the major Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market Growth limiting factors include interruption of care and post-treatment complications. The overseas medical tourists have difficulty accessing their follow-up care once they are back in their native country. The domestic physicians are either not accustomed to or do not know how to treat treatments that have been performed outside of their home country, hence exposing them to possible health dangers. Besides these, medical standards inequality, malpractice insurance, and language interpretation inequality may lead to miscommunication or substandard treatment. Fear of illness, post-surgery complications, or unhygienic conditions abroad deters others. All these deter and restrict the full potential of outbound medical tourism development.

• The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) indicates that 30% of potential outbound medical tourists reconsider travel due to quality risks, safety issues, and regulatory inconsistencies abroad.

• According to Associated Press (AP), nearly 25% of patients hesitate to travel for treatment overseas because of legal barriers and lack of recourse in case of post-treatment complications at home.

Telemedicine and AI Boost Market Growth

Opportunity

An area of development of the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market is telemedicine and digital health platform. This is an area of huge potential in the future. The technologies play the role of enabling foreign health practitioners to examine patients prior to and after treatment to ensure care continuity and trust. As internet penetration and digital literacy improve globally, more patients now find it easier and confide in medical treatment overseas. This also minimizes uncertainty about the healing process after treatment, making outward-bound care even more attractive.

Also, AI-powered platforms can recommend hospitals for the patients based on their requirements and affordability. Governments and private organizations can unleash growth by freeing up cross-border specialized medical insurance and travel facilitation. All of these innovations combined provide new channels to market growth.

• A report by FICCI and Ernst & Young states that the “Heal in India” framework, which includes medical visas and hospital accreditation, has already benefited nearly 12% of inbound medical tourists, strengthening India’s cross-border healthcare ecosystem.

• KPMG findings emphasize the creation of medical wellness clusters and digital facilitation hubs, projecting that 20% of future cross-border medical travelers will rely on these integrated support systems for easier access.

Lack of Global Standards Hinders Market Growth

Challenge

The Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market is facing one of the largest challenges right now, which is that there are no country-standardized regulations and quality norms in place. The patients mostly find it difficult to identify the credentials of foreign medical professionals and the quality of foreign hospitals. This disparity can cause suspicion, surgical infection, or even litigation in case of malpractice. It is also challenging for medical tourists to avail follow-up treatment in their native villages once they have returned home since doctors locally don't offer complications of procedures done elsewhere.

Differences in culture and language also generate treatment ineffectiveness and communication complexities. Global treatments are also uninsured which contributes to financial insecurity. All these collectively deter the full development of the market and compromise patient safety and satisfaction.

• As per the Indian Ministry of Tourism, Chennai—India’s so-called health capital—allocates only 50% of its hospital beds to local residents, with the remaining 50% dedicated to domestic and international medical travelers, creating a dual challenge of resource strain.

• Regional studies show that among outbound patients from Oman, 46.4% were children and nearly 82% traveled to India, highlighting both demographic vulnerability and an overdependence on a single destination country.

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OUTBOUND MEDICAL TOURISM SERVICES MARKET REGIONAL INSIGHTS

• North America

North America Drives Market Growth Globally

North America is leading the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market because healthcare costs are increasing, insurance coverage is poor, and waiting lists are longer due to the region. The majority of patients in the region travel overseas for treatment at reasonable and quick rates, mainly for dental, cosmetic, and elective surgeries. One of the prime movers of medical tourism is the United States Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market, with a huge number of Americans traveling overseas each year for treatment. American patients are increasingly turning to destinations such as Mexico, Costa Rica, and India to receive quality services at an affordable price. The trend is putting more pressure on North America at the number one position of the source market for outbound medical tourists.

• Europe

Europe's Rising Healthcare Issues Stimulate Market Growth

Europe holds a significant portion in the global Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market Share due to a mix of increasing healthcare spending and lack of specialist treatment in certain cases within its public healthcare system. Patients from nations such as the UK, Germany, and France often migrate for medical care abroad to escape long waiting lists and acquire cheaper or high-end medicine. Adequate mobility for medical tourism across the EU and well-settled travel amenities also reinforce outward medical tourism. Improved information and access to offshore treatment have also spurred more Europeans to seek medical services abroad.

• Asia

Asia’s Rising Middle Class Fuels Market Growth

Asia's middle class is driving the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market primarily by leading its demand for specialty care outside that one cannot get or rely on getting at home. China, Japan, and South Korea all have growing numbers of outbound patients, particularly for high-end surgery, cancer treatment, and fertility treatment. Growing disposable incomes and global awareness regarding healthcare cause more Asians to seek treatment abroad in nations such as Germany, Singapore, and the U.S. Facilitating this outward flow are programs operated by governments and officials as well as medical tourism companies.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

Industry Partnerships and Services Drive Market Growth

Mass-scale industry players are also emerging as key players in the Outbound Medical Tourism Services Market with their products of add-on services in a package that includes treatment, travel, stay, and post-recovery care. They are placing big stakes in strategic partnerships with world-class hospitals, travel agents, and insurance companies to provide an end-to-end medical travel experience.

• Apollo Hospitals (India): Currently, about 5% of Apollo’s patient base comes from international sources, with short-term expansion plans to reach 7% (a 40% increase) and longer-term goals of 10% (a 100% increase compared to current levels).

• Fortis Healthcare (India): Around 8% of Fortis’s caseload is composed of international medical tourists, cementing its position as one of India’s leading providers for global patients.

By investing in telemedicine technologies and sites, they are facilitating improved patient engagement and pre-travel advice, fostering trust and transparency. Word of mouth by patients, promotion by price, and promotion by quality are moving to wider geographic areas globally. Moreover, their assistance function for safety controls, regulatory requirements, and multi-language capability is building trust among patients and driving global market growth.

List Of Top Outbound Medical Tourism Services Companies

• Apollo Hospitals (India)
• Fortis Healthcare (India)
• Bumrungrad International Hospital (Thailand)
• KPJ Healthcare Berhad (Malaysia)
• Raffles Medical Group (Singapore)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

June 2025: Vaidam Health Pvt. Ltd. (Gurugram, India), perhaps the highest-profile medical tourism enabler, acquired MediJourney, a Ferns N Petals incubated digital health facilitation business, for 2024 all-cash consideration. The acquisition is a strategic buyout that Vaidam views as further strengthening its digital prowess and assisting in its expansion to Africa and Southeast Asia. The patient engagement is expected to receive a boost of approximately 50%.

REPORT COVERAGE

The study encompasses a comprehensive SWOT analysis and provides insights into future developments within the market. It examines various factors that contribute to the growth of the market, exploring a wide range of market categories and potential applications that may impact its trajectory in the coming years. The analysis takes into account both current trends and historical turning points, providing a holistic understanding of the market's components and identifying potential areas for growth.

This research report examines the segmentation of the market by using both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a thorough analysis that also evaluates the influence of strategic and financial perspectives on the market. Additionally, the report's regional assessments consider the dominant supply and demand forces that impact market growth. The competitive landscape is detailed meticulously, including shares of significant market competitors. The report incorporates unconventional research techniques, methodologies and key strategies tailored for the anticipated frame of time. Overall, it offers valuable and comprehensive insights into the market dynamics professionally and understandably.