GEORGE TOWN, 8 July 2026 – Penang has once again reinforced its position as Malaysia’s leading medical tourism destination, contributing approximately 45% of the nation’s total medical tourism revenue while playing a pivotal role in Malaysia’s rise as one of the world’s top healthcare travel destinations.
Malaysia was recently ranked the world’s sixth-best medical tourism destination in the 2026 Global Top 10 Medical Tourism Destinations by Travel and Tour World, trailing only Turkey, Thailand, India, Mexico and South Korea. The ranking reflects the country’s strong healthcare ecosystem, supported by internationally accredited hospitals, advanced medical technology, highly qualified healthcare professionals, affordable treatment costs and continuous government support.
Penang State EXCO for Tourism and Creative Economy, Wong Hon Wai, said Malaysia’s medical tourism industry recorded another year of robust growth in 2025, with revenue increasing from RM2.72 billion in 2024 to RM3.35 billion, representing a 23.2% year-on-year increase. During the same period, the number of international patients grew by 15.6%, rising from 1.6 million to 1.85 million.
At the forefront of this growth is Penang, which continues to serve as the country’s premier medical tourism hub. According to data from the Penang Centre of Medical Tourism (PMED), the state’s 16 participating private hospitals treated 527,176 international patients in 2025, marking a 25.94% increase from 418,608 patients in 2024.
The state’s medical tourism revenue also climbed significantly, rising 26.6% from RM898.07 million in 2024 to RM1.14 billion in 2025. With nearly half of the country’s medical tourism earnings generated in Penang, the state remains the driving force behind Malaysia’s healthcare tourism industry.
Wong attributed Penang’s continued success to its ability to provide internationally recognised healthcare services at competitive prices, allowing patients to receive quality treatment at substantially lower costs compared to destinations such as Singapore and many Western countries.
He also highlighted Penang’s multicultural and multilingual environment as one of the state’s greatest competitive advantages. Besides Malay and English, healthcare providers and the local community are able to communicate in Mandarin, Tamil and Chinese dialects, including Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka and Cantonese, ensuring a smoother experience for international patients.
This advantage is particularly evident among Indonesian visitors, Penang’s largest medical tourism market. Wong noted that the similarities between Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia, together with the widespread use of Hokkien among many ethnic Chinese from Medan, help minimise language barriers and enhance patients’ overall experience from arrival to recovery.
“The minimal language barrier allows patients to seek treatment, arrange accommodation and travel with greater ease, further strengthening Penang’s position as the preferred destination for Indonesian medical tourists,” he said.
As Malaysia continues to strengthen its global standing in medical tourism, Penang’s established healthcare infrastructure, internationally recognised hospitals, skilled medical professionals and seamless patient experience are expected to remain key drivers in attracting more international visitors seeking quality healthcare in the years ahead.
