Hainan woos travelers with more medical tourism products

Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in Hainan launched eight cutting-edge international medical tourism products on Sunday, targeting global visitors and showcasing the island province's rich natural and touristic resources.

The initiative integrates exclusive features such as precision health check-ups, expert treatments and traditional Chinese medicine therapies within the pilot zone, aiming to provide top-tier personalized medical tourism services of international standards to a wide overseas consumer base.

The first Indonesian tourist group arrived on Dec 23 to experience the full process of international medical tourism in Lecheng, undergoing a series of health examinations and recuperative experiences.

Starting from Saturday, over 60 representatives from medical and tourism institutions and businesses from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Russia, as well as the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao, were invited by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province for a four-day visit and research trip in Lecheng and across Hainan province.

"Hainan boasts exceptional ecological surroundings, free trade port policy advantages and a diverse array of impressive tourism products and cultural offerings. Coupled with Boao Lecheng's unique incentives, concentration of medical institutions and specialized healthcare services, the region presents greater potential for the development of international medical tourism," said Sian Teong Chein, vice-president of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce. He expressed strong optimism regarding the growth prospects of the Hainan medical tourism market and anticipates engaging in extensive collaboration with the pilot zone.

"This event leverages the advantages of the preferential policies of the Hainan Free Trade Port and the medical policies of the Boao Lecheng pilot zone, further enriching specific measures within the Hainan tourism consumption scene. This move is beneficial for promoting the integrated development of the medical, health and tourism industries," said Liu Cheng, deputy director of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province.

"Hainan will continue to develop premium medical tourism products to promote the development of international medical tourism projects," Liu said.

During the event, Lecheng's integrated medical and tourism marketing alliance signed agreements with multiple enterprises. Hainan Boao Lecheng Culture Industry Development Co reached a strategic cooperation agreement with representatives of foreign travel agencies to collaborate on enhancing the quality of medical tourism products and services.

The Boao Lecheng pilot zone is China's first and only special medical zone. The zone has introduced over 450 types of innovative pharmaceuticals and medical devices from foreign markets that are yet to be listed in China.

With 36 operational medical institutions, Chinese patients can access cutting-edge international therapies in Lecheng without traveling abroad. The pilot zone continues to advance integrated urban-industrial development, focusing on creating multilevel, multi-format medical tourism products to enhance the reception capacity for international medical tourism, said Jia Ning, director of the pilot zone's administration.

Jia said that in recent years, the pilot zone has emerged as a standout attraction within the Hainan Free Trade Port and gradually become a leading force in Asian medical tourism, attracting overseas medical consumption and evolving into a crucial intersection point for domestic and international dual circulation. In 2024, Lecheng welcomed a total of 413,700 medical tourism visitors throughout the year, marking a 36.76 percent year-on-year increase.