Malaysia Expands ASEAN Medical Tourism Links as MYMT 2026 Targets Growth

Malaysia has stepped up its efforts to become one of the top healthcare destinations in the world as it is now in the final quarter of Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT 2026). The latest step was in Cambodia, where the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) and Maybank Cambodia organised MH WellFest Cambodia 2026 in Phnom Penh on October 3 and 4. The move saw Malaysian hospitals, specialists and healthcare partners visiting the Cambodian community as part of Malaysia’s drive to develop healthcare travel in the region. About 2,000 attended the event, with about 800 joining the 5km and 10km runs. Fourteen Malaysian hospitals were present, offering services from health screening and preventative care to speciality treatment.

Cambodia Becomes a Stronger Source Market

Cambodia has become an increasingly important market for Malaysia’s healthcare travel sector.

MHTC reported that the number of Cambodian healthcare travellers to Malaysia exceeded 12,000 in 2025, generating around RM30.3 million in healthcare travel revenue.

That growth has prompted a stronger Malaysian presence in Cambodia during 2026.

In June, MHTC held its first Malaysia Healthcare Expo in Phnom Penh, bringing Malaysian hospitals and specialists directly to Cambodian consumers. The October WellFest event builds on that engagement by combining healthcare information with wellness, family activities and financial planning.

The approach reflects a broader shift from simply advertising Malaysian hospitals towards building relationships with potential patients before they travel.

MYMT 2026 Drives Malaysia’s Medical Tourism Strategy

MYMT 2026 is Malaysia’s first dedicated national year for medical tourism.

MHTC launched the programme in July 2025 under the theme “Healing Meets Hospitality”, with the objective of strengthening Malaysia’s international healthcare profile.

The campaign covers advanced medical treatment as well as preventive healthcare, wellness and traditional and complementary medicine.

MHTC’s longer-term target is particularly ambitious. The organisation is working towards RM12 billion in healthcare travel revenue by 2030.

Malaysia entered the campaign year with strong growth already recorded. The country received approximately 1.84 million healthcare travellers in 2025, generating around RM3.34 billion in healthcare travel revenue, according to MHTC figures cited by Malaysian tourism authorities.

Other official industry figures put the 2025 total at approximately 1.85 million travellers and RM3.35 billion in revenue.

Malaysia Strengthens Its Global Position

Malaysia is increasingly positioning healthcare travel as a high-value tourism segment rather than a standalone medical industry.

Tourism Malaysia said in 2026 that the country had been recognised among the world’s top six medical tourism destinations. The claim is used by the national tourism agency in its current promotional campaign, although rankings can vary depending on the index and methodology used.

Malaysia’s appeal rests partly on the combination of internationally accredited private hospitals, specialist expertise, multilingual services, competitive treatment costs and established tourism infrastructure.

The country’s healthcare network includes more than 80 MHTC partner hospitals and healthcare providers covering specialties such as cardiology, oncology, orthopaedics, fertility treatment and dentistry.

Penang Remains a Major Medical Tourism Hub

Penang continues to play a central role in Malaysia’s healthcare travel economy.

The state recorded approximately 285,400 medical tourists during the first six months of 2026, generating RM601.8 million in medical tourism revenue, according to figures cited from MHTC by Penang’s tourism authorities.

Penang recorded around 520,000 medical tourists and RM1.14 billion in medical tourism revenue in 2025.

Indonesia remains an especially important source market for Penang, supported by direct air connections from cities including Jakarta, Surabaya, Banda Aceh and Medan.

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor also remain major centres for specialist treatment, with hospitals serving international patients across cardiovascular care, oncology, fertility, orthopaedics and other fields.

Cambodia Fits Into a Wider ASEAN Strategy

The Cambodia initiative is part of a broader regional strategy.

Malaysia and MHTC have been increasing engagement across ASEAN while also developing healthcare travel markets in South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia.

Tourism Malaysia and MHTC formalised a cooperation agreement in December 2025 covering joint promotion, market outreach, industry collaboration and data-sharing.

Priority markets include ASEAN countries, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, China, the Middle East and Africa.

MHTC has also expanded professional engagement with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with healthcare specialists from both countries visiting Malaysian hospitals in August 2026.

The objective is to create stronger referral relationships between healthcare professionals while increasing awareness of Malaysia among potential international patients.

Malaysia Links Healthcare With Tourism

Malaysia’s medical tourism strategy also forms part of the wider Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, which has been extended into 2027.

The connection is commercially important because international patients often require accommodation, transportation, food, retail services and extended stays for treatment and recovery.

Medical travellers may also be accompanied by family members, increasing spending across the wider tourism economy.

This is one reason Malaysia is promoting healthcare travel alongside hospitality, culinary experiences, wellness and tourism attractions.

For Cambodia, the model offers patients access to Malaysian hospitals without requiring them to navigate the system entirely from overseas. For Malaysia, it creates a direct channel into a growing neighbouring market.

The Next Phase Focuses on Patient Access

The Cambodia visit in October demonstrates where the direction of Malaysia’s medical tourism policy lies in relation to the MYMT 2026 initiative. As opposed to marketing through only international advertising, the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Centre (MHTC) is now taking Malaysian medical facilities directly to the source countries and partnering on their finances and travel. The immediate goal, therefore, is to increase patient confidence and accessibility in the region. However, the long-term target, which is much bigger in scope, is transforming Malaysia into a global destination for healthcare travel. The plan is to make Malaysia earn an annual $12b from the medical industry by 2030.