Lok Sabha Question No. 2336 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Development of Medical Tourism Hubs
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: DNV Senthilkumar. S., Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Manjulata Mandal, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, C.N. Annadurai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2336 ANSWERED ON 18.12.2023

## DEVELOPMENT OF MEDICAL TOURISM HUBS

## 2336.DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  number  of  medical  tourists  that  arrived  in  India especially  Tamil  Nadu  during  the  last  three  years  and  the  current year;
- (b) the  total  revenue  earned,  State/UT-wise  due  to  foreign  tourists arriving in India for their medical treatment during the last five years;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  steps  to  develop  medical tourism hubs in smaller/tier-2 cities in the country;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (e) whether  there  exists  any  policy  for  the  regulation  of  the  private medical sector with respect to medical tourism and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) the details of the financial assistance granted to the Wellness Tourist Service  Providers  and  the  Medical  Tourist  Service  Providers  under the Marketing Development Assistance Scheme during the last three years; and
- (g) whether the Government has any plan to launch a dedicated medical tourism policy to expand the medical tourism sector?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM                                   (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a):  The  purpose-wise  data  on  Foreign  Tourist  Arrival  (FTAs)  for  the States/UTs is not maintained by the Ministry of Tourism. However, details of number of medical tourists arrived in India during the last three years

## and the current year is given below:

| Year            |   Medical Tourists (in lakh) |
|-----------------|------------------------------|
| 2020            |                         1.83 |
| 2021            |                         3.04 |
| 2022            |                         4.75 |
| 2023* (Jan-Oct) |                         5.04 |

Source: Bureau of Immigration

- (b): Ministry of Tourism does not maintain data on revenue earned due to medical tourism.
- (c) & (d): As conveyed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government  of  India  has  announced  loans  of  $14.8  billion  to  boost  the infrastructure and announced  working capital or personal loans to companies operating in the tourism industry to restart after the hit they took  in  the  covid-19  phase.  All  major  companies  and  hospitals  are  now focused  on  building state-of-the-art hospitals.  Apollo  Hospitals,  MAX hospitals,  ASIAN  hospitals,  SHALBY  hospitals,  Fortis  hospitals,  Manipal group are just a few names that are invested in tier-II and tier-III cities. Specialty procedures like dental implants, cosmetic surgeries, which one would put  off  due  to  time  and  distance  involved,  are  now  a  trend  to  be followed in these tier-II and tier-III cities.
- (e): As  per  the  information  given  by  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family Welfare,  the  National  Accreditation  Board  for  Hospitals  &  Healthcare Providers (NABH) provides accreditation for healthcare organizations.

International  Society  for  Quality  in  Healthcare  (ISQua)  has  accredited NABH  as  an  Organization.  The  hospitals  accredited  by  NABH  have international  recognition.  This  provides  boost  to  medical  tourism  in  the country.

NABH also provides accreditation to Medical Value Travel Facilitator MVT Facilitators,  a  largely  unregulated  segment  within  the  medical  tourism sector.

- (f): Ministry  of  Tourism  has  revised  the  guidelines  for  the  Scheme  of Market Development Assistance (MDA) for promotion of Domestic Tourism in November 2020 to enhance the scope and reach of the Scheme, so  as  to  provide  maximum  benefits  to  the  stakeholders  including  the Medical Tourist Service Providers. The details of the financial assistance

provided  under  Market  Development  Assistance  (MDA)  for  promotion  of Domestic Tourism is given as under:

| S. No.   | Year                     | Amount Released (in Rs.)   |
|----------|--------------------------|----------------------------|
| 1        | 2021-22                  | 6,86,237                   |
| 2        | 2022-23                  | 7,06,668                   |
| 3        | 2023-24(till 14.12.2023) | 6,44,213                   |
|          | Total                    | 20,37,118                  |

(g): In order to boost Medical Tourism in the country, Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism

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