KUALA LUMPUR, 10 December 2025: Tourism Malaysia and the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) have opened a landmark partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in Kuala Lumpur.
This collaboration marks a significant step in enhancing Malaysia’s competitiveness in the global medical tourism sector as the country prepares for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) and the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026 (MYMT 2026).
The MOC establishes a strategic framework for both agencies to strengthen Malaysia’s branding as a world-class medical and wellness destination. It outlines joint promotional efforts, enhances industry collaboration, and expands market outreach to attract high-value healthcare travellers. This supports the national tourism agenda for VM2026, which aims to welcome 47 million international visitors, with medical tourism positioned as a key contributor.
Commenting on the collaboration, Tourism Malaysia Director General Datuk Manoharan Periasamy said: “This partnership reflects our commitment to elevating Malaysia as a premier destination that blends exceptional tourism experiences with world-class healthcare services. As we approach Visit Malaysia 2026, the medical tourism segment will play a vital role in attracting quality visitors and boosting tourism receipts. We are confident that this partnership with MHTC will foster meaningful growth opportunities and further strengthen Malaysia’s position on the global stage.”
MHTC CEO Suriaghandi Suppiah commented: “Malaysia Healthcare is proud to partner with Tourism Malaysia to promote the Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism 2026. This MOC is designed to strengthen joint promotional activities and ensure a smooth experience for healthcare travellers. Our united efforts will help position Malaysia as a safe, reliable, and preferred destination for medical and wellness treatments.”
Under this collaboration, Tourism Malaysia and MHTC will coordinate targeted promotional activities across priority markets, including ASEAN, South Asia (Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), East Asia (China), the Middle East and Africa. These regions have been identified for their strong demand for quality medical and wellness treatments.
Joint marketing efforts, trade engagements, and data-sharing initiatives will support the development of integrated healthcare travel packages and strengthen Malaysia’s presence in these markets. The partnership aims to increase global visibility, improve product offerings, and ensure seamless travel experiences that attract higher-spending international travellers.
Medical tourism remains one of Malaysia’s most influential niche segments, contributing significantly to the tourism ecosystem through more extended average stays, higher per-visitor expenditure, and multiplier effects across hospitality, retail, transportation, and wellness services. Malaysia’s reputation for internationally accredited hospitals, highly skilled multilingual medical professionals, competitive treatment pricing, and exceptional hospitality continues to make the country an attractive choice for patients seeking quality healthcare abroad. This partnership is timely and essential as Malaysia aims to elevate its position among the world’s leading medical tourism destinations.
This collaboration between Tourism Malaysia and MHTC represents a unified national effort to maximise the potential of medical tourism as Malaysia prepares to welcome millions of visitors in 2026, further strengthening the country’s global tourism competitiveness and contributing to sustainable economic growth.
(Source: Tourism Malaysia)
