Ranked: The top medical tourism countries
- Compare the Market Australia study reveals the international surgery hotspots
- Türkiye topped medical tourism interest globally out of 18 sampled countries
- Overseas cosmetic surgeries were most popular based on online search volume
- However, an Australian health insurance policy can pay a benefit towards the cost of medically necessary treatments locally
A study by Compare the Market Australia has found Türkiye as the international travel hotspot for medical surgeries.
The health insurance comparison experts studied the average monthly global online search volume of 18 countries for key cosmetic, organ and dental-related surgeries.
The Middle Eastern republic had the most interest by attracting a combined average of 28,540 overseas searches per month.
Thailand trailed behind with 8,130 medical tourism searches per month, with the most interest in organ-related heart and gender affirmation surgeries.
Additionally, South Korea garnered 5,880 searches per month combined, as the K-pop music hub famous for its cosmetic surgery culture.
Compare the Market’s Executive General Manager of Health Steven Spicer said, while travelling overseas for procedures can be cheaper, some treatments can be included on a private health insurance policy which doesn’t require international travel.
“In Australia, you have the peace of mind of knowing you can access a medical professional that is registered and qualified under the Australian health standards. The Australian private health insurance system offers the convenience of choosing your own available doctor, choice of a suitable hospital and faster access to the treatment,” Mr Spicer said.
“Some of the treatments that people commonly travel overseas for can often be included on a private health insurance policy in Australia, where the treatment is medically necessary in-hospital treatment.
“But not all insurance policies provide the same level of cover and for the same price, so it pays to compare to find a policy that suits your individual needs.”
Top 10 global search volume by surgery category
|
Rank |
Country |
Cosmetic Surgery (avg. searches per month) |
Organ Surgery (avg. searches per month) |
Dental Surgery (avg. searches per month) |
|
1 |
Türkiye |
21,590 |
190 |
6,760 |
|
2 |
Thailand |
6,890 |
60 |
1,180 |
|
3 |
South Korea |
5,430 |
0 |
450 |
|
4 |
United Kingdom |
3,270 |
110 |
810 |
|
5 |
Singapore |
2,280 |
190 |
1,780 |
|
6 |
Australia |
1,670 |
110 |
460 |
|
7 |
Philippines |
1,510 |
30 |
650 |
|
8 |
India |
980 |
480 |
680 |
|
9 |
Malaysia |
900 |
0 |
280 |
|
10 |
Canada |
640 |
10 |
450 |
For the full results, please visit: https://www.comparethemarket.com.au/health-insurance/features/international-surgery-hotspots/
