KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026 was launched today to strengthen the country’s position as a top destination for affordable and quality healthcare.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said that with the tagline “Healing Meets Hospitality”, MYMT 2026 aims to attract more international healthcare travellers by highlighting the country’s quality, affordable medical services, along with its warm hospitality and wellness offerings.
“Malaysia has long been recognised as a preferred destination for medical tourism. In 2024, we recorded 1.6 million healthcare travellers, generating RM2.72 billion in revenue, which marks a 21 per cent increase from the previous year. These figures reflect the growing confidence in our healthcare system,” he said in his speech at the launch of the campaign here.
Dr Dzulkefly, who also chairs the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council, said the country’s international standing in the sector was reinforced in May when it was ranked among the world’s top 10 medical tourism destinations by Nomad Capitalist, alongside regional peers such as Singapore and Thailand.
He said the campaign supports the broader goals of Visit Malaysia 2026 by positioning healthcare as a key economic and reputational driver, with the potential to generate between RM12 and RM15 billion by 2030 through spillover benefits to airlines, hotels, transport services, and local communities.
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Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad speaks at the launch of the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 in Kuala Lumpur on July 24, 2025. — Picture via FACEBOOK/KEMENTERIAN KESIHATAN MALAYSIA[/caption]
Among the highlights of MYMT 2026 is the Flagship Medical Tourism Hospital programme, which recognises excellence in clinical care, innovation and international patient services.
“Four outstanding hospitals — Institut Jantung Negara, Island Hospital Penang, Mahkota Medical Centre, and Subang Jaya Medical Centre — are nearly done being assessed. We look forward to announcing the winner in December,” he said.
The campaign also introduced singer Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza as its ambassador, highlighting her as a symbol of trust, authenticity and compassion: values that reflect the core essence of Malaysian healthcare.
Dr Dzulkefly said Malaysia is ready to take a leading role in regional healthcare cooperation as chair of the Asean Health Ministers Meeting next year, especially in cross-border care, healthcare mobility, and health equity.
“With our continued commitment and collaboration, I am confident we will exceed expectations and set new benchmarks in global medical tourism,” he said.
— Bernama
