Penang recorded a 26% increase in foreign patients in 2025, generating RM1.14 billion in revenue for the state’s medical tourism sector
GEORGE TOWN: Penang recorded a nearly 26 per cent increase in foreign patients seeking treatment at private hospitals in the state last year, further strengthening its position as one of the country’s key medical tourism hubs, the state legislative assembly was told today.
Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai said data from the Penang Centre of Medical Tourism (PMED), involving 16 private hospitals, showed that the number of foreign patients rose to 527,176 in 2025 from 418,608 in 2024.
“The increase also contributed to revenue of RM1.14 billion last year, compared with RM898.07 million in 2024,” he said when replying to a question from Ong Ah Teong (PH-Batu Lancang).
To further boost the sector in conjunction with Malaysia Year of Medical Tourism (MYMT) 2026, Wong said the state government is collaborating with airlines, including AirAsia, through the Boarding Pass Privileges programme.
He said the programme, which runs from Oct 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2026, allows international passengers with boarding passes and foreign passports to enjoy a 15 per cent discount on health screening packages.
In addition, he said foreign patients are also offered the option of making payments in their home currencies, such as the Indonesian rupiah, via the Quick Response Indonesian Standard (QRIS) code.
Wong added that the state government is also participating in promotional programmes and medical tourism exhibitions in several countries, including China, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan and Myanmar.
He said efforts to strengthen flight connectivity to cities that serve as key sources of medical tourists, such as Medan, Aceh, Jakarta, Surabaya and Yangon, are also being intensified to support the sector’s growth.
