Medical Tourism: A New Segment at ITB Berlin 2017

For the first time ITB Berlin, which will take place March 8-12, will fully devote a platform to medical tourism, which has become an important fast-growing market. Medical service providers, hotels and destinations will be able to exhibit their products and services in the Medical Tourism Pavilion in Hall 3.2. Presentations and workshops will be held so that visitors can find out more about the latest trends and developments in this growth market.

Medical tourism has been increasing for years, for which there are many reasons. Some value the better quality of the medical infrastructure in certain countries and undergo measures that cannot legally be offered at home, such as fertility treatment for those who want children.

A recent report by VISA and Oxford Economics said the current turnover of the world’s medical tourism industry is around 439 billion dollars. Over the next ten years overall growth is forecast to reach up to 25 percent.

According to David Ruetz, head of ITB Berlin, medical tourism offers huge prospects for the global tourism industry.

“Over the next ten years three to four percent of the world’s population will undertake trips motivated by offers of medical treatment”, Ruetz said. “ITB Berlin aims to highlight this growth market and all its aspects and provide buyers and providers with a new platform.”

According to ITB Berlin’s organizer, Messe Berlin, demand and enquiries for this new segment are high.

“The introduction of Medical Tourism at ITB Berlin will make it possible for everyone involved in medical tourism – hospitals, health insurances and healthcare professionals – to meet directly and exchange views”, Thomas Bömkes, Diversity Tourism GmbH, the agency partnering with Medical Tourism at ITB, said.