Australia: Medical tourism contributes over A$26 million into national economy

More than 10,000 medical tourists, mainly from Asia, came to Australia last year for procedures, contributing more than A$26 million into the national economy, new figures show.

Australian doctors and hospital chiefs say a small but increasing number of wealthy people from the Asia-Pacific region are coming to Australia for treatments such as orthopaedic and heart surgery, cancer services and IVF, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Data from Tourism Research Australia shows 10,739 people came to Australia for medical reasons in the year to last September — double the number in 2006.

The data, which models information from surveys of 40,000 people in Australian airports each year, found medical tourists spent about A$26 million in 2013, up from A$12.7 million in 2006. This figure did not include their airfares and packages.

It comes as the Victorian government works on a strategy to increase health and medical exports including medical tourism.

Opportunities are being discussed particularly in the context of Melbourne’s increasingly prestigious Parkville Precinct which includes the new A$1 billion Comprehensive Cancer Centre, when it opens late next year.