Health tourism

Andalusia can reach 50 percent of all health and wellness tourism that visits Spain

  • 140,000 international patients will contract some medical treatment while sightseeing in a private Spanish center this year.
  • Health tourism will account for more than 1 billion euros in 2020 in Spain, according to the Institute for the Development and Integration of Health.
  • The average daily expenditure of tourists who come to Andalusia motivated by the practice of activities related to health and well-being is around 70 euros.

Andalusia aims to position itself as a benchmark in health and wellness tourism in the coming years, according to the Dr. María del Carmen López, director of the Doctors Lopez Clinic from Malaga, who has been invited as a speaker at the International Health Tourism and Wellness Medicine Week (Ibiza Well Week), a joint initiative of the Ibiza Health and Beauty Association and the Consell d'Eivissa which encompasses a series of activities organized by professionals of recognized international prestige. The Dr. Lopez He explained in his speech that “it is expected that some 140,000 international patients will contract some medical treatment while sightseeing in a private Spanish center this year.”

Furthermore, it is estimated that health tourism will account for more than 1,000 million euros in 2020 in Spain, 40% more compared to industry forecasts for 2018, according to him Institute for the Development and Integration of Health (IDIS), where Andalusia will occupy a preferential place since there has been a clear commitment from the private clinic sector. “Andalusia, due to its tourism industry, international image and the quality and prestige of the clinics, will have a prominent place in this type of tourism, which could reach 50 percent of all visitors who come to Spain,” stated the director of the Doctors Lopez Clinic.

According to the data of the Department of Tourism of the Government of Andalusia, the average daily expenditure of tourists who come to Andalusia motivated by the practice of activities related to health and well-being is around 70 euros, which exceeds the average expenditure per person by more than four euros. Restaurants (32.0%) and accommodation (30.8%) share more than half of the spending at the destination. Added to these are wellness treatments (most are included in hotel facilities) and shopping, with 16.8% and 14%, respectively.

The Top 30 medical tourism destinations are led by Canada, followed by the United Kingdom and Israel. Spain occupies fifteenth position, according to the so-called Health Tourism Index developed by Fetscherin & Stephano and collected by Ostelea School of Tourism & Hospitality. Our country occupies fifth position in the European classification, according to the International Healthcare Research Center, behind the United Kingdom, which tops the ranking, Germany, France and Italy.

The value of the health and wellness market is increasing considerably in Western and Eastern Europe, according to a report by Ostelea School of Tourism & Hospitality from different statistics. In fact, for next year it is expected that in Western Europe it will reach 146,407.5 million euros; while in Eastern Europe it will reach 27,698.4 million.

He Ibiza Well Week, which ends today, Saturday, May 4, is coordinated by the Spanish Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SEME) and its objective is to “show the effectiveness of treatments that can be performed in a single session, with a very short recovery that can be performed during the vacation period.” Some 4,000 professionals attended the Ibiza Conference Center.