{
  "id": 1377265,
  "title": "The potential of medical tourism",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/the-potential-of-medical-tourism",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-16T23:46:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40435099/the-potential-of-medical-tourism"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Pakistan has long sought the next major export industry, exploring sectors like information technology, minerals, agriculture, and value-added manufacturing. However, experts now believe the country possesses a potentially lucrative medical tourism industry that remains largely untapped. With globally trained physicians and treatment costs significantly lower than in developed nations, Pakistan could establish a thriving medical tourism market. The global medical tourism sector reached an estimated $144.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $705 billion by 2033, with aesthetic medicine driving the fastest growth. Pakistan has the necessary resources, including internationally qualified doctors, affordable treatment, modern healthcare facilities in major cities, and strong cultural and geographical ties with markets in the Gulf, Central Asia, and the Pakistani diaspora. Countries like Turkey have successfully attracted over a million medical tourists annually, primarily for hair transplants and cosmetic procedures, thanks to government support, international accreditation, targeted marketing, streamlined visa processes, and a strong healthcare brand. Pakistan has over a million medical graduates annually, with many specialists holding internationally recognized qualifications or having trained in the UK, US, and Gulf countries. Their expertise is respected internationally, but their potential as a strategic export industry has been overlooked. Expanding markets for Pakistani doctors include dental care, fertility treatment, bariatric surgery, and specialized procedures. Many overseas Pakistanis already return home for medical treatment due to familiarity, trust, and affordability. Neighboring countries and the Gulf could become significant sources of demand if Pakistan establishes a reputation for quality, safety, and professional standards. Developing medical tourism requires more than projections; it needs international accreditation, strict quality assurance, transparent regulation, malpractice protections, specialized hospitality services, efficient visa processing, and coordinated international marketing. The government, through the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), has made progress by engaging with industry experts, but policy implementation is crucial. Medical tourism should be integrated into Pakistan's broader export strategy, with measurable targets, incentives for internationally accredited hospitals, simplified entry procedures for foreign patients, and coordinated promotion in targeted overseas markets. Collaborations with airlines, hotels, and private healthcare providers can further enhance Pakistan's competitiveness. While medical tourism may not resolve all economic challenges, it offers a rare opportunity where the country's human capital creates genuine comparative advantages, potentially generating foreign exchange, skilled employment, and attracting investment.",
  "summary": "EDITORIAL: For years Pakistan has searched for the next big export story, looking everywhere from information technology to minerals, agriculture and value-added manufacturing. Yet one of the country’s most promising opportunities has been quietly growing in plain sight. Industry experts are now making a compelling case that Pakistan could develop a thriving medical tourism industry by combining…",
  "key_points": [
    "Pakistan has untapped potential in medical tourism industry.",
    "Global medical tourism sector projected to reach $705 billion by 2033.",
    "Pakistan has over a million medical graduates with internationally recognized qualifications."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Pakistan's overlooked pool of internationally qualified doctors and affordable treatment can be leveraged to tap into the lucrative medical tourism industry, generating foreign exchange, skilled employment, and attracting investment.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}