_Medical tourism: a necessity or a luxury?

Seeking medical care aboard is common amongst Saudi nationals, particularly as the Saudi government regularly refers patients with severe illnesses to overseas clinics of global repute, typically in locations such as the United States, Germany, and the UK.

Faisal Durrani March 14, 2023

Away from life-threatening diseases, travelling abroad for elective cosmetic treatment has also been rising in popularity, with anecdotal evidence pointing to destinations like LA, Rio de Janeiro, and Istanbul as being the most popular for “instant makeovers”.

Globally, the medical tourism industry is worth around US$ 100 billion, and this figure is set to double over the next 10 years. Currently, Arab nationals account for 30% of global medical spend, hinting strongly at the opportunity to create world-class medical facilities within the Kingdom to capture some of this demand leakage (Source: Arab Tourism Organization).

Survey 2 echoes Arab Tourism Organization research, with 40% of our respondents claiming to travel abroad to receive any medical treatment, whether essential or elective. While motives to travel internationally for treatment vary, the focal point is the quality and reputation of both the treatment (29%) and healthcare professionals (24%), closely followed by the affordability of treatment (21%).

Discover the full Saudi Report 2023.