This was stated at the 7th Global Medical Tourism Forum, which is taking place in Chisinau.
Foreign patients not only receive high quality treatment in our clinics, but also actively use the country’s infrastructure – they stay in hotels and guest houses, taste local cuisine in restaurants.
As the forum participants noted, life expectancy and quality of life are growing all over the world, which leads to an increase in demand for medical services. People want to feel good and stay active at any age, as well as to look attractive. Accordingly, countries that make medical tourism a national strategy will definitely benefit. The medical tourism market is expected to reach $80 billion in the next five years. Moldova can claim a share of 0.5-1% of this amount.
Olga Shcheupu, Medpark CEO, said: “Aesthetic medicine, dentistry, assisted reproduction services, as well as surgeries with the use of advanced technologies are especially demanded on the market. The wellness segment – rehabilitation and recovery – is gaining more and more popularity, and I am convinced that it has excellent prospects in Moldova. In order for our institutions to be successfully positioned on the global medical tourism market, they must unconditionally meet international quality standards and offer patients an integrated experience – both medical and emotional”.
Elena Stepanov, Director of the National Association of Inbound and Domestic Tourism, emphasized the competitive advantages of the domestic market: “Our medical services are characterized by high quality and affordable prices. We also complement the medical offer with tourist services: rehabilitation and recreation are closely integrated with cultural, gastronomic and wine-making components. Most of these areas are located in picturesque natural areas.”
Economic analyst Veaceslav Ionitsa noted that the number of medical tourists in Moldova is eight times higher than the world average, if we count per capita: “I cannot but be proud of my small country – while the global growth of medical tourism is about 20% per year, in our country this indicator reaches about 25%. Despite the fact that this is a new destination for the country, the number of tourists coming for medical services is eight times higher than the world average.”
