Penang medical tourism draws 285,400 visitors, generates RM601.8m
GEORGE TOWN: Penang, Southeast Asia’s leading medical tourism hub, attracted 285,400 tourists and generated a revenue of RM601.8 million in medical tourism in the first half of this year.
In the first half of 2025, Penang emerged as Southeast Asia's premier medical tourism destination, welcoming 285,400 visitors and generating RM601.8 million in revenue, according to the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC). State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai attributed the growth to Penang's internationally accredited healthcare institutions, modern facilities, competitive prices, and multilingual services.
The state currently accounts for over a third of Malaysia's medical tourism market in terms of tourist numbers and economic contribution.
Indonesia remains Penang's largest source market for medical tourists, with direct flights connecting major cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Banda Aceh, and Medan. A new direct route between Batam and Penang is set to commence on October 18, further strengthening ties with Indonesia. However, Wong emphasized the need for Penang to diversify its source markets, given the growing competition from neighboring countries like Vietnam and Thailand.
The Arab region and Australia are identified as potential markets, with competitive pricing, Muslim-friendly offerings, and tourism attractions.
Penang's strengths include a range of healthcare services that can be provided as part of a medical tourism package, such as health screening. The state government recently held a meeting with the MHTC in Kuala Lumpur to review Penang's medical tourism performance, discuss strategic direction, and coordinate resources and promotional efforts for the final quarter of 2026.
Understanding the healthcare needs and preferred medical services of different source markets will enable Penang to tailor its international promotions more effectively.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
