JOHOR is targeting RM230mil in medical tourism revenue this year, a 15% increase from 2025.
State health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon (pic) said the projection reflected continued growth in the healthcare travel sector ahead of the Visit Johor 2026 campaign.
“Johor recorded RM202mil in medical tourism revenue last year, which saw a 12% increase compared to 2024.
“In terms of arrivals, nearly 127,000 healthcare travellers visited Johor last year, representing a 3% growth,” he said when contacted.
Ling added that this year’s revenue target was aligned with Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 led by Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) under the Health Ministry, as well as Visit Malaysia 2026.
He said visitors from Indonesia, Singapore and China made up more than 60% of Johor’s healthcare travellers, owing to the state’s strategic location and accessibility.
Johor’s position just north of the island republic allowed easy access for Singaporeans seeking quality treatment at more competitive costs, which were 30% to 60% lower, he said.
“Indonesia and China are also key markets, with Johor serving as an entry point through Senai International Airport and its well-connected highway network, facilitating smoother travel for patients and their families,” said Ling.
According to 2025 medical data, he said there were 10 specialities in high demand among international patients.
“These include respiratory medicine, infectious diseases, accidents and injuries, gastroenterology, orthopaedic surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, ear, nose and throat, cardiology, oncology as well as dermatology.
“Orthopaedic surgery, cardiology and oncology are specialities that involve high-value treatments.”
Ling said several private hospitals such as KPJ Johor Specialist Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital Medini Johor, Columbia Asia Hospital Tebrau and Regency Specialist Hospital were recognised under Malaysia’s healthcare travel programme.
The state government also placed emphasis on the importance of public-private collaboration to ensure the success of high-value industries, he said.
“Johor Medical Tourism Council, chaired by the state government, has been established as the main platform to advance the healthcare travel sector.
“It brings together MHTC as lead agency for the national healthcare travel industry, private medical facilities in the state, Iskandar Regional Development Authority and Majestic Johor to jointly plan development strategies.
“Private medical facilities continue to intensify efforts to enhance service quality and safety standards, including continuous compliance with international benchmarks, strengthening clinical governance, implementing patient safety best practices and structured service quality monitoring.
“This can be seen through the establishment of International Patient Centres, the opening of healthcare lounges at key entry points for health tourists as well as expanded strategic promotions in target markets.”
Ling said the healthcare tourism sector was estimated to generate an economic multiplier effect of four times patients’ direct medical expenditure.
“However, current medical tourism revenue reports only cover direct medical spending and do not include ancillary expenditure, such as spending in other sectors like retail, F&B, accommodation, international airfares and local transportation,” he said.
