Ho Chi Minh City currently boasts a diverse healthcare system, experienced medical professionals, and competitive costs. However, attracting foreign visitors to combine travel with medical services remains a largely untapped potential.
At the recent seminar "Developing Medical and Wellness Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City," organized by Phu Nu Newspaper, Master of Medicine Dr. Ta Quoc Hung, Head of the Laser, Light and Wave Unit, Department of Dermatology and Aesthetic Dermatology at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City, said the city has the potential to become a leading destination for aesthetic tourism.
Significant advantages
He noted that Ho Chi Minh City is home to a highly qualified team of medical professionals with formal training, as well as advanced technology and modern techniques in dermatology and aesthetics. At the same time, treatment costs are significantly lower than in other countries such as Thailand and South Korea.
Combined with open visa policies, numerous international flights, and the current system of hotels, resorts, and shopping centers, this creates an opportunity to boost medical tourism.
Experts, officials, and business representatives shared their views at the seminar
Ho Chi Minh City is beginning to capitalize on major advantages such as its coastal hotel and resort system.
Vo Minh Trung, General Director of Riverside Saigon Hotel, noted that many resorts, such as Melia Ho Tram, have already experimented with models that allow guests to enjoy leisure, yoga, walking, and wellness recovery programs. However, the area still lacks high-quality medical centers.
According to experts at the seminar, Ho Chi Minh City holds significant advantages and has the potential to position itself as the country’s leading destination in the medical and wellness tourism segment. With a well-structured strategy, the city could open up a breakthrough pathway to develop and realize this type of tourism in the future.
They suggested that Ho Chi Minh City could designate a pioneering location to pilot the model - promoting it widely to both domestic and international visitors.
Dr. Duong Duc Minh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Tourism Development Research, pointed out that among the city’s destinations, Thieng Lieng (Thanh An Commune) could be selected for pilot implementation. Each year, Thieng Lieng welcomes around 3,000 visitors and has been nominated as one of the world’s best tourism villages.
Choosing Thieng Lieng as a model site for wellness tourism, he explained, is not only due to its natural conditions but also its ability to provide a temporary retreat, separated from the fast pace of modern life.
Thieng Lieng hold strong potential for wellness tourism. Pictured: visitors at a local salt field
Public–Private Partnerships to Develop Medical Tourism Products
Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said the department is implementing a medical tourism development plan aimed at building specialized products that focus on strengths such as dentistry, aesthetics, and advanced healthcare services.
He added that the department also recommends that the health sector boldly engage in public-private partnerships, daring to step out of its comfort zone to connect healthcare with tourism.
To make medical tourism products truly appealing, Ho Chi Minh City is also planning to leverage the advantages of several major hospitals — some with helipads in the Can Gio area — as well as central locations that attract patients seeking treatment combined with tourism.
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