Penang is one of Southeast Asia’s forerunners in medical tourism and has successfully hosted a bevy of medical tourists across the globe. Our strong performance in this facet is powered by Penang’s top-line and affordable healthcare, excellent treatment facilities and highly trained professionals. Medical tourists are in treat of good outcomes from their treatment in Penang, which might not be readily available and accessible in their home countries, or are too expensive to afford abroad.
Throughout these years, medical tourism has played an integral role and has provided many economic multiplier effects for the state’s economy. The entire supply chain for healthcare, consisting of accommodation, food & beverage, logistics, retail, tourism and transportation, has and will continue to benefit from the many foreign patients who visit Penang.
In addition, the economic benefits trickle down to every person in the sector, including tour guides, taxi drivers, waiters, chefs, hotel workers, tourism attraction staff, retailers, nurses, doctors etc.
The volume and influx of treatment provision also enables our private hospitals to procure medical equipment and devices that might not otherwise be economical with our relatively small population. As such, local patients may also derive the benefits that entail economies of scale, made possible via the sophisticated technology acquired for the treatment of foreign patients.
Although the Covid-19 pandemic has slackened medical tourism worldwide, Penang’s arsenal of healthcare professionals and expertise remain in pursuit of industry excellence, to maintain our renowned reputation as a world-class medical hub. Essentially, we hope Penang’s medical tourism will continue to thrive for our economy, while giving rise to the level of skill that is available through the constant and consistent treatment of foreign patients.
YB Yeoh Soon Hin
Chairman
Penang Centre of Medical Tourism (P.MED)
and
Exco for Penang Tourism and Creative Economy (PETACE)