# Healthcare tourism in Singapore. What the numbers show, and what they don't.
> Source: https://shakalakaa.com/sg/resources/healthcare-tourism · Updated: 2026-10-15 · Market: SG
Resource · Singapore healthcare travel

# Healthcare tourism in Singapore. What the numbers show, and what they don't.

What Singapore officially publishes on foreign patients, the analyst estimates that fill the gap, and the rules a hospital markets under. Written for hospital groups and international patient teams.     Quick answer

Singapore publishes no current official count of medical travellers. The latest official figure is MOH's: about 32,000 foreign patients a year in 2017 to 2019, around 3% of hospital inpatient and day-surgery patients. Analysts put 2023 medical tourism revenue at US$250 to 270 million. This page is written for hospital groups and their international patient teams.

## Healthcare tourism Singapore figures

Each row is labelled official, estimate or company statement, with its source and the date we checked it.

| Figure | Value | Type | Source (checked 15 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official count of medical travellers | None current; STB and SingStat publish no medical-visit series | Official | STB, SingStat and MOH sites checked |
| Foreign patients at hospitals, 2017 to 2019 | About 32,000 a year, around 3% of inpatient and day-surgery patients | Official | MOH, parliamentary answer, 1 August 2022 |
| Foreign patient episodes, 2021 | About 6,000, under 1% of hospital cases | Official | MOH, parliamentary answer, 1 August 2022 |
| Medical tourism revenue, 2023 | US$250 to 270 million | Estimate | RHB, cited in The Business Times, 19 December 2024 |
| Foreign patients' share of private operators' revenue | 25 to 30% before Covid; 20 to 25% since | Estimate | CGS International analyst, The Business Times, 19 December 2024 |
| Medical tourism share of IHH Healthcare Singapore revenue, Q3 2024 | 18% | Company statement | IHH group chief executive, quoted in The Business Times, 19 December 2024 |

Patient counts and revenue shares measure different things, so don't compare them directly. The last official estimate we could trace is 348,000 medical travellers in 2007 (MOH, 22 January 2009).

## Where international patients come from

No official source ranks them. Operators name their own: Singapore Medical Group told The Business Times its biggest block of medical travellers comes from Vietnam, and the paper describes Indonesians as a key source of foreign patients.

MOH said in February 2025 that Singapore does not aspire to be a medical hub that actively promotes medical tourism.

## The rules a hospital markets under in Singapore

- **Advertising.** The Healthcare Services (Advertisement) Regulations 2021 apply to licensees. See our [healthcare advertising rules](https://shakalakaa.my/resources/healthcare-advertising-rules-singapore).
- **Doctors.** The Singapore Medical Council's Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines cover doctors' conduct. See [the SMC code↗ (opens in a new tab)](https://www.smc.gov.sg/for-professionals/regulations-guidelines-circulars/ethical-code-and-ethical-guidelines-and-handbook-on-medical-ethics/).
- **Patient enquiry data.** The PDPA and the Do Not Call rules cover enquiries and follow-up. See [PDPA and DNC](https://shakalakaa.my/blog/dnc-pdpa-singapore-lead-followup).

Rules in each source market also apply to ads shown there. Confirm specifics with the primary source or your legal adviser.

## How hospital groups reach international patients

1. ### Source-market search and AI answers Specialty pages in the patient's language, found in search and quoted by AI assistants. See [SEO in Singapore](https://shakalakaa.my/services/seo-singapore).
2. ### Xiaohongshu for Chinese-speaking families Families research care on Xiaohongshu before they enquire. See [XHS marketing in Singapore](https://shakalakaa.my/services/xhs-marketing-singapore).
3. ### Paid search and social Campaigns run in each source market, inside that market's rules and Singapore's.
4. ### Enquiry routing International enquiries routed and followed up on WhatsApp. See [WhatsApp automation](https://shakalakaa.my/services/whatsapp-automation-singapore).
5. ### Reporting by source market Every channel reported as enquiries and appointments by source market.

## Sources

1. Ministry of Health, [parliamentary answer on healthcare capacity↗ (opens in a new tab)](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/on-covid-19-situation-healthcare-capacity-and-vaccination/) (1 August 2022; foreign patient numbers; read 15 October 2026).
2. Ministry of Health, [Singapore's healthcare hub status↗ (opens in a new tab)](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/assessing-trend-of-singaporeans-seeking-medical-treatment-in-malaysia-and-measures-to-strengthen-singapore-s-healthcare-hub-status/) (4 February 2025) and [medical travellers update↗ (opens in a new tab)](https://www.moh.gov.sg/newsroom/medical-travellers-update/) (22 January 2009).
3. The Business Times, "Singapore healthcare players narrow focus, expand overseas in medical tourism race", Megan Cheah, 19 December 2024 (analyst estimates and company statements; read 15 October 2026).
4. Healthcare Services Act, [summary of requirements↗ (opens in a new tab)](https://www.hcsa.gov.sg/about-us/2-summary-of-requirements); Singapore Medical Council, Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines (read 15 October 2026).
      Client results

## Work we can show

No Singapore hospital case is published yet. Our closest published Singapore health case is a diagnostics company.  [Camtech Health Diagnostics · Singapore · Google Ads, Meta Ads, SEODiagnostic Test Kit Marketing in Singapore, from SGD 38,000 to SGD 175,000 a Month Google Search for urgent test-kit demand, Meta Advantage+ for preventive DNA panels, doctor-reviewed medical SEO and server-side tracking.](https://shakalakaa.my/case-studies/diagnostic-test-kit-omnichannel-singapore)    Related

## Keep exploring
       FAQ

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Does Singapore publish medical tourism statistics?

Not currently. STB and SingStat publish no medical-visit series. The latest official figure is MOH's: about 32,000 foreign patients a year at hospitals in 2017 to 2019, around 3% of inpatient and day-surgery patients (parliamentary answer, 1 August 2022).

### Where do international patients come from?

No official source ranks them. Singapore Medical Group told The Business Times (19 December 2024) that its biggest block of medical travellers comes from Vietnam, and the paper describes Indonesians as a key source of foreign patients.

### What advertising rules apply to hospitals marketing abroad?

Licensees in Singapore follow the Healthcare Services (Advertisement) Regulations 2021, doctors follow the Singapore Medical Council's Ethical Code, enquiry data falls under the PDPA, and ads shown abroad must also meet each source market's rules.      For hospital teams

## Planning international patient acquisition for a hospital group?
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