The state government of Sabah in Malaysia is planning to set up a Health Tourism Council under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to promote Medical tourism in the state. The council would formulate policies, regulate and promote the health tourism industry and monitor its growth.
Sabah intends to leverage its low-cost of Medical treatment, high-quality healthcare systems at private Medical centers, reputable Medical specialists, and accessibility in terms of reasonable travel time by air to Sabah from the East Asia and Western Pacific regions, to develop the Medical tourism sector.
Malaysia is one of the leading health tourism destinations in South East Asia, after Thailand. The number of Medical tourists in the country increased from 643,000 in 2011 to 1.2 million in 2018, while revenue generated by these arrivals rose from USD 127 million to USD 362 million during the period.
(Source: Free Malaysia Today; The Star; ASEAN Post)
