JOHOR BAHRU – In its continuing efforts to position itself as a premier healthcare destination, Malaysia has been stepping up efforts to pull in medical tourists hailing from south-west Africa to neighbouring Indonesia, and Johor wants some of that bounty.
For instance, the High Commission of Malaysia in Windhoek, Namibia, hosted a health and tourism expo on Nov 20 to pitch the country as a place for world-class yet affordable medical care.
Johor’s proximity to Singapore and Indonesia gives the state an advantage in tapping the medical tourism sector, said Johor’s health and environment committee chairman Ling Tian Soon.
“We have two ferry terminals to Indonesia and two land customs, immigration and quarantine complexes connected with Singapore, making Johor a gateway for international patients,” he said.
Mr Ling said efforts are under way to diversify medical tourism beyond Johor Bahru.
Batu Pahat, for example, has launched a ferry service to Selat Panjang, Indonesia, to attract patients from that region, he said.
However, he added: “At present, most of our medical tourism activities are concentrated in Johor Bahru, where bed occupancy rates at private hospitals are as high as 95 per cent, leaving little room for medical tourists.”
Some private hospitals are already preparing for expansion, with new buildings under way to increase bed capacity and attract more foreign patients, he said.
Mr Ling said Johor contributed RM143 million (S$43 million) to the nation’s medical tourism revenue out of nearly RM2 billion in 2023.
The state government, through its investment arm Johor Corp, is well positioned to support the sector through its flagship healthcare provider KPJ Healthcare, he said.
Johor, he said, has competitive advantages, such as affordable treatment.
“Johor must capitalise on this market. Medical tourists don’t come alone – they bring their families, stay at our hotels, shop and dine here. This would contribute to the entire tourism chain,” he said.
Mr Ling acknowledged that Johor was still behind in terms of medical tourist arrivals, compared with other states like Melaka and Penang.
“Melaka has been in the industry for a long time. It has an established market,” he said.
He also said that Tourism Johor has been promoting medical tourism through annual networking sessions targeting Batam, Indonesia and Singapore, and has received a positive response.
“This shows the market’s confidence in Johor. With strategic planning and investment, we can strengthen our position and compete with established hubs like Melaka and Penang,” he said.
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