YB Wong Hon Wai – State Tourism & Creative Economy Exco
Penang State Exco for Tourism and Creative Economy YB Wong Hon Wai hails Malaysia’s ranking in the world’s Top 50 Medical Tourism Destinations released recently.
“With Turkey securing the top spot, with its affordable treatment costs, advanced medical technologies, and high-quality healthcare services, Malaysia ranked 6th globally, supported by its internationally accredited hospitals, English-speaking healthcare professionals, and strong medical tourism ecosystem.
“Even more impressively, Penang accounts for approximately 45% of Malaysia’s total medical tourism revenue, maintaining its position as the country’s undisputed medical tourism capital.
“According to the 2026 Global Top 50 Medical Tourism Destinations ranking published by Travel And Tour World, the top 10 destinations are: Turkey, Thailand, India, Mexico, South Korea, Malaysia, Costa Rica, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Colombia.
“Malaysia has successfully attracted patients from around the world through its internationally accredited hospitals, English-speaking medical workforce, modern healthcare technologies, affordable treatment costs, and strong government support for medical tourism,” said Wong in a press statement.
He added that Malaysia has emerged as one of Asia’s leading medical tourism destinations, ranking 6th in the world. Its internationally accredited hospitals, effective English-language communication, modern medical technology, affordable healthcare services, and comprehensive government support continue to attract international patients.
“Reports indicate that Malaysia is particularly sought after for cardiology, oncology, fertility treatments, orthopaedics, cosmetic and plastic surgery, dental care, ophthalmology, health screening, rehabilitation services, and wellness programmes. The country’s advanced healthcare infrastructure and medical facilities also enable overseas patients to enjoy seamless, one-stop medical tourism packages.
“This achievement reflects the collective efforts of Malaysia’s healthcare system, tourism industry, and government agencies over many years, and is a source of pride for all Malaysians.
“Meanwhile, Penang continues to lead Malaysia’s medical tourism ondustry As Malaysia’s most established medical tourism destination, Penang continues to stand out as the nation’s leader. Based on data from the Penang Centre of Medical Tourism (PMED), which covers 16 private hospitals across the state, Penang recorded 418,608 foreign patients in 2024, generating RM898,070,127 in medical tourism revenue.
In 2025, the number of foreign patients increased further to 527,176, representing year-on-year growth of 25.94%, while revenue rose to RM1,136,924,434, an increase of 26.60%.
As for Penang State, he added that Penang’s sustained leadership is driven by several key advantages.
“First, exceptional value for money. Whether for health screenings, specialist consultations, complex surgeries, or advanced medical treatments, Penang offers high-quality healthcare services at competitive prices. Compared with Singapore and many Western countries, patients can enjoy substantial cost savings while receiving internationally recognised standards of care.
“This combination of quality and affordability remains one of Penang’s strongest attractions.Second, a significant multilingual advantage. Effective communication is a crucial component of a successful medical tourism experience. Penang’s population is proficient in multiple languages, including Malay, English, Mandarin, Tamil, and Chinese dialects such as Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, and Cantonese, creating a unique linguistic advantage.
“Taking Indonesia—the largest source market for Penang’s medical tourism industry—as an example, Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia are highly similar. In addition, many ethnic Chinese patients from Medan communicate in Hokkien, the same dialect widely spoken in Penang.
“As a result, Indonesian patients encounter minimal language barriers when seeking medical treatment, arranging accommodation, using transportation, or carrying out daily activities. This greatly enhances their overall experience and further strengthens Penang’s position as the preferred medical tourism destination for Indonesian patients,” he said.
Among the notable private hospitals in Penang are the Gleneagles Hospital Penang, Penang Adventist Hospital, Island Hospital, Loh GuanLye, Pantai Hospital Penang, Lam Wah Ee, Sunway Medical Centre Penang, Columbia Asia Hospital, Northern heart Centre, Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, to name a few