The Dominican Republic is the leader in medical tourism in the Caribbean. Medical tourism contributes more than US$1.32 billion to the Dominican economy, according to the Second Study of Health Tourism of the Dominican Republic presented by Dr. Alejandro Cambiaso, president of the Dominican Association of Health Tourism during the 6th International Congress of Health and Wellness Tourism Congress from 1 to 3 November 2023 at the JW Marriott in Santo Domingo.
Almost 4% of visitors to the Dominican Republic came with medical tourism as the focus of their stay. An estimated 338,747 international patients came here seeking medical and dental services in 2022. Cambiaso highlighted that 3.7% of the more than 8 million tourists who visited the Dominican Republic in 2022 did so in search of health and well-being services.
During the recent medical tourism conference, Cambiaso indicated that the average patient will spend US$7,500, or six times what a normal tourist will spend on the stay here. Patients traveling for medical purposes are accompanied in 70% of the cases.
The research revealed that the majority of patients visiting us from abroad sought dental procedures, plastic and other surgeries, as well as many seek outpatient and diagnostic medicine.
Additionally, it was reported that 80% of the tourists who seeks medical attention through tourist medicine are covered by travel insurance.
Researchers carrying out the study forecast growth of this sector should grow by 15% compared to 2022. By 2028, the DR is expected to receive half a million international patients, for a growth of 47% compared to 2022.
The Dominican Republic is the leader in medical tourism in the Caribbean, number two in Latin America and ranks 19th in the world, according to the Medical Tourism Index.
Read more in Spanish:
Asociacion Dominicana de Turismo de Salud
El Dia
7 November 2023