On August 31, Phu Nu TPHCM (Ho Chi Minh City Women) Newspaper hosted a discussion titled “Establishing and Developing Medical and Wellness Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City.”
In her opening remarks, Ms. Ly Viet Trung, Editor-in-Chief of Phu Nu TPHCM (Ho Chi Minh City Women) Newspaper, emphasized that Ho Chi Minh City is not only a dynamic economic hub but also a center of medical excellence in Vietnam. The city boasts highly skilled doctors, modern healthcare infrastructure, and a unique integration of advanced and traditional medicine.
She noted that this presents a valuable opportunity for Ho Chi Minh City to leverage its strengths and build a distinctive brand in the field of medical and wellness tourism.
“We hope that this forum will pave the way for the development of specialized tourism products, such as travel itineraries integrated with health screenings and targeted medical treatments. At the same time, the city will promote wellness tourism that focuses on physical and mental recovery, helping visitors regain balance after the stresses of daily life,” Ms. Ly Viet Trung emphasized.
Ho Chi Minh City is currently home to 162 hospitals and nearly 10,000 private clinics. Many of these institutions are highly regarded in areas such as reproductive health care, in vitro fertilization (IVF), traditional medicine, and cosmetic services, all offered at competitive and affordable prices.
Despite this strong foundation, the city welcomes only around 500,000 international visitors and overseas Vietnamese annually for medical-related travel, a modest figure compared to its true potential.
Experts have pointed out that medical tourism in Ho Chi Minh City has yet to reach its potential due to several challenges, including underdeveloped infrastructure, a shortage of skilled professionals with foreign language proficiency, issues with international payment systems, and weak integration between the tourism and healthcare sectors.
To address these gaps, several travel businesses have proposed dedicated policies for medical tourism, including incentives to foster partnerships with tour operators and reasonable discount schemes to help develop specialized travel packages that connect visitors with healthcare services in the city.
According to Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city is implementing the "Medical Tourism Development Project," focusing on specialized products in key areas such as dentistry, aesthetics, and advanced healthcare services. The Department also encourages the healthcare sector to boldly pursue public-private partnerships and to step out of its comfort zone in order to strengthen its integration with the tourism industry.
To attract more visitors, Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa emphasized that medical tourism products must be based on real demand and draw lessons from successful models in countries like Thailand and Germany while addressing workforce challenges, particularly language skills. He believes that students and AI technology can play a vital role in improving service quality.
Additionally, visa policies should be more flexible to enhance the city’s appeal. Most importantly, products must be built on quality and reputation, rather than competing solely on low prices, Mr. Hoa stressed.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city welcomed 5.2 million international visitors in the first eight months of 2025, marking a nearly 50 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. Domestic tourist arrivals reached over 25 million, representing a 7.5 percent growth year-on-year. Total tourism revenue for the first eight months of 2025 is estimated at VND161.887 trillion (US$6.14 billion), up 31.2 percent from the previous year.
