China's medical tourism market has shown rapid development in recent years, and has gradually become an emerging destination for global medical tourism based on advances in medical technology, policy support and tourism resource advantages. The following is an analysis of the market scale, policy support, core features, challenges and future trends:
Market Size and Growth Potential
. Global Status : China's health market will reach US$682.7 billion in 2020, ranking second in the world. Despite the impact of the epidemic, the medical tourism market size will still reach 228 billion yuan in 2022, and the global medical tourism market is expected to grow by 20.9% in 2025, with China as an important player with significant growth potential.
. Regional highlights: Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan received 302,500 medical tourists in 2023, up 60% year-on-year, with a target of 400,000 in 2024.5 The 13 pilot hospitals in Shanghai served 4,128 foreign, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan inpatients in the first half of 2024, an increase of 24.3% year-on-year.17 Qionghai City received 351,100 medical tourists in the first November of 2024, up 24.3% year-on-year. Qionghai City received 350,100 medical tourists in the first 11 months of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 33.5 percent.
Policy Support and Pilot Projects
National-level strategies :
. Boao Lecheng Advanced Zone in Hainan : As China's only “special medical zone”, it enjoys policies on licensed medical treatment, importation of medicines and equipment, and international exchanges, and has introduced 412 new international medicines and equipment and attracted 51 teams of academicians.34 The Provisions for the Promotion of New Biomedical Technologies, which came into effect in February 2025, further support the cutting-edge technologies such as stem cell .
. Shanghai Pilot: 13 tertiary hospitals (e.g., Ruijin Hospital, Huashan Hospital) have launched international medical tourism, with 133,900 international outpatient and emergency visits in the first quarter of 2024, and a 42% increase in the amount of commercial insurance settlement.
. Cross-border medical insurance innovation: Zhuhai piloted the participation of Hong Kong and Macao residents in the insurance, 63,800 people participated in 2024, and the medical insurance fund paid out 353 million yuan; Hainan launched the “Lecheng Global Specialty Drug Insurance”, covering 21 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country, with more than 35 million people participating in the insurance.
Core features and service advantages
1. Leading specialty technology :
. Ophthalmology and medical aesthetics: Full femtosecond laser myopia surgery (SMILE), smile lip surgery and other mature technologies, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Xiamen Ophthalmology Center affiliated with Xiamen University and other institutions to provide high-quality services.
. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have a unique advantage in chronic disease management and recreation, and international TCM centers have been set up in Sanya and Kunming, attracting tourists from Russia and other countries.
. Cutting-edge medical care: The LeCheng Advance Zone is in compliance with stem cell therapy, tumor immunotherapy, etc., and 8 projects have been landed, relying on the licensing policy to realize the application of international synchronous technology.
2. Integration of medical care and tourism :
. Product innovation: LeCheng has launched seven major products of “medical care + recreation + tourism”, such as “Seaside Healing” rejuvenation tour (including medical beauty and seaside yoga), “Traditional Chinese Medicine” health preservation tour (combined with the Red Niangmai Memorial Park and other cultural and recreational facilities), “Chinese Medicine” health preservation tour (combined with the Red Niangmai Memorial Park and other cultural and recreational facilities). Combined with cultural attractions such as the Red Detachment of Women Memorial Park.
. Regional synergy: Qionghai City integrates medical resources of LeCheng and tourist attractions of Boao to create the brand of “Healthy Island・Happy City”; Yunnan and Sichuan rely on ecological resources to develop forest recreation, hot springs and other forms of treatment.
3. International Certification and Quality Assurance
.JCI accreditation: As of 2024, 62 hospitals in China have passed JCI accreditation (30 public hospitals and 32 private hospitals), such as the Shanghai Children's Medical Center and the Xi'an International Medical Center Hospital, which will enhance international trust.
. Real-world data application: LeCheng pilots international mutual recognition of clinical data on medicines and devices, accelerating the launch of new international medicines and devices in China.
Challenges and competitive pressures
1.Intense international competition :
. Thailand, India, Singapore and other Asian countries dominate the global medical tourism market by virtue of low-cost, cost-effective medical treatment and mature international marketing system. For example, Thailand receives over 1 million medical tourists in 2023, and the cost of heart surgery in India is only 1/102 of that in Europe and the United States.
. China medical tourism still needs to be improved in terms of language services and international insurance docking, and some patients are skeptical about medical quality and supervision.
2. Uneven distribution of resources :
. High-quality medical resources are concentrated in first-tier cities (e.g., Beijing, Shanghai) and Hainan Lecheng, with insufficient internationalized medical facilities in central and western regions.
3. Supporting services short board :
Cross-border medical insurance payment is not yet fully connected, the proportion of out-of-pocket expenses for international patients is high; multi-language services, post-operative rehabilitation, tourism support (such as translation, visa facilitation) still need to be improved.
Future trends and development direction
1. Policy deepening and liberalization :
. Hainan Free Trade Port will further liberalize the access of foreign investment in the medical field, and explore policies such as cross-border medical visas and direct settlement of international commercial insurance.
. The national “14th Five-Year Plan” promotes the integration of recreational tourism and medical care, and the market size is expected to exceed one trillion yuan in 2025.
2. Technology-driven and innovation :
. Intelligent medical care (AI-assisted diagnosis, remote surgery) and new biomedical technologies (gene therapy, cell therapy) will become core competitiveness. LeCheng Advance Zone plans to create a “medical technology + tourism” ecology to promote the transformation of cutting-edge technology.
3.International marketing and brand building :
. Strengthen overseas publicity, relying on the “Belt and Road” to promote Chinese medicine, health and wellness and other specialty services. For example, Hainan plans to build 100 TCM centers in countries along the route and promote the inclusion of acupuncture in the International Classification of Diseases.
. Drawing on Shanghai's pilot experience, it will establish a system of “key international medical institutions” to standardize service standards and enhance the influence of international brands.
4. Regional synergy and resource sinking :
. Through the construction of “national medical centers” and “regional medical centers”, promote the radiation of high-quality resources to central and western China. For example, JCI-accredited hospitals in Chengdu and Xi'an can drive the development of medical tourism in the west.
. Develop “light medical” programs (e.g., medical checkups, medical aesthetics) to attract middle- and high-end customers from Southeast Asia and the Middle East, balancing the demand for “treatment of major illnesses” and “health management”.
Summary
With policy innovation as the engine and technical features as the core, China's medical tourism market is transforming from “single medical service” to a comprehensive model of “medical treatment + tourism + recreation”. Despite the challenges of international competition and resource allocation, China is expected to become an important destination for global medical tourism in the next decade, thanks to its huge market demand, unique TCM resources and the dividends of the FTTP policy. For international tourists, the top medical resources and special tourism products in Hainan Lecheng, Shanghai and Beijing are already competitive; for domestic patients, cross-regional medical tourism will also become an important way to optimize resource allocation. With the deepening of the “Healthy China” strategy, China's medical tourism will further connect with international standards and play a greater role in the global health economy.