The Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone is China's first national-level international medical tourism pilot zone, established on February 28, 2013, with approval from the State Council. It aims to develop international medical tourism services, low-carbon ecological communities, and an international organization hub. The pilot zone is located on both banks of the Wanquan River in Qionghai City, Hainan Province, with a planned area of approximately 20.14 square kilometers. It is a comprehensive low-carbon ecological project integrating rehabilitation and wellness, energy conservation and environmental protection, leisure and vacation, and a green international organization base.
The Lecheng Pilot Zone boasts numerous medical institutions and international-standard specialized departments, offering tourists access to global innovative drugs and first-dose medications. By 2024, the zone had welcomed 413,700 medical tourism visitors, representing a year-on-year increase of 36.76%. A total of 36 medical institutions are currently in operation, forming a medical industry landscape led by top-tier public hospitals such as Ruijin and West China, complemented by a range of international and domestic specialty clinics. This ecosystem covers the entire medical value chain, including disease prevention, health management, early screening, precision medicine, and rehabilitation therapy, with seven specialty areas: rare diseases, oncology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, reproductive health, physical examinations, and medical aesthetics.
The Lecheng Pilot Zone is also piloting the development of international medical tourism-related industries such as licensed medical services, health management, care and rehabilitation, and medical aesthetics and anti-aging, and has launched the “Health Island · Lecheng Medical” tourism innovation and integration product, combining medical services, health and wellness, and tourism to attract domestic and international tourists to experience medical tourism. Additionally, the Lecheng Pilot Zone features numerous popular tourist attractions, such as “The Story of the Sea,” and has received support and recognition from national policies.
The construction and development of the Lecheng Pilot Zone have been given high priority and strong support by the Hainan Provincial Government. In 2019, the Lecheng Pilot Zone Administration Bureau was established, directly managed by the Hainan Provincial Government, and operates on a market-oriented and professional basis. The Hainan Provincial Government has also introduced several preferential policies, including four “special permits”—special medical services, special research, special operations, and special international medical exchanges—as well as tax incentives and streamlined administrative approval processes to attract domestic and international enterprises and investors to establish operations in the zone.
The Lecheng Pilot Zone boasts a beautiful ecological environment with a greening rate of 70%, excellent air quality, and convenient transportation, with access to the Boao International Airport and high-speed rail station within a 10-minute drive. The surrounding area is dotted with star-rated resort hotels and hot spring experience projects, and is surrounded by cultural tourism attractions such as Yudai Beach, Dongyu Island, and the permanent venue of the Boao Forum for Asia, offering a picturesque and pleasant environment.
The future development prospects of the Lecheng Pilot Zone are vast. It is expected to achieve breakthrough progress in areas such as advanced clinical medical centers with distinctive technologies and cutting-edge medical technology R&D and conversion bases by 2025. By 2030, medical services and research will reach leading domestic and internationally advanced levels, establishing it as a world-class international medical tourism destination and medical science and technology innovation platform.