The emergence of medical bleisure
This phenomenon is transforming how companies and travelers organize professional trips. When combined with MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) and bleisure, it extends the length of stays, changes travel itineraries, increases local spending, and creates new logistical and ethical demands.
The rise of medical tourism in Vietnam
Vietnam is a key player in this new form of medical bleisure. The country has capitalized on its strengths to become a leading emerging destination for health tourism. It offers several clear advantages, including modernized private clinics in cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Many doctors have been trained abroad, and the costs are highly competitive. Travelers also appreciate the presence of seaside destinations like Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc, which are perfect for post-treatment recovery.
The most sought-after treatments are implants, veneers, and teeth whitening, followed by cosmetic surgery, and certain wellness and rehabilitation procedures.
Dental tourism is the new medical bleisure in Vietnam
The winning combo: bleisure + health
Combining healthcare with a business trip is no longer just a coincidence; it's a deliberate strategy for many professionals.
Time and budget optimization
Participants in professional events like conferences, seminars, and trade shows find it clever to "kill two birds with one stone" by scheduling treatments they would have otherwise postponed. This allows them to save on travel costs and be more efficient. Generally, consultations, treatments, and convalescence add 2 to 7 days to a business trip, which increases the number of nights and local spending.
Discretion and comfort
Getting treatment away from one's usual environment offers a certain level of privacy. After a procedure, a professional can rest and recover in peace, combining convalescence with tourism. To meet this demand, hotels and clinics are increasingly offering packages that include post-operative care and relaxation activities.
Hybrid destination criteria
Vietnamese tourism professionals have recognized this trend and are starting to offer custom "health-bleisure" packages. Event agencies and hotels are partnering with clinics to create packages that combine professional sessions, medical or cosmetic treatments, and excursions. Now, travel planners and HR managers choose cities that offer both strong MICE infrastructure and reliable medical services, including quality, accreditations, and language support.
Economic impact and traveler profiles
This synergy has a significant economic impact on Vietnam. It leads to an increase in the average spend per traveler on things like accommodation, transportation, and wellness, and it encourages the creation of packaged deals. It also helps redistribute profits to secondary regions thanks to seaside resorts being used for recovery. The country also benefits from major medical events, such as the Pharmedi Vietnam exhibition, which facilitates networking between tourism and health professionals.
Traveler profiles vary, from executives seeking privacy and premium services to younger professionals who prioritize value for money. Each group has specific expectations regarding support and confidentiality.
Challenges
Despite the growth, there are challenges. Accreditations and standards can vary between establishments, which requires a rigorous selection of partners. Coordinating the medical schedule with the professional event calendar can also be complex. Additionally, there's a risk to the country's image if promotion becomes too aggressive or if the economic benefits don't reach local communities.
Medical Bleisure, the new emerging trend in Vietnam
A promising future for vietnamese "medical bleisure"
Medical and dental tourism is a strategic opportunity to enhance bleisure offerings around professional events in Vietnam. When well-designed, the convergence of business tourism, leisure, and health creates a new dynamic, extends stays, boosts the local economy, and allows for the creation of differentiated offers for planners and HR. For Vietnamese tourism professionals, the challenge is to structure the offerings to maximize benefits without compromising the quality of care or the destination's image. Success depends on careful partner selection, impeccable logistical coordination, ethical communication, and solid concierge service.
As professionals increasingly seek to optimize their travel, the option to combine professional events with quality care at reasonable prices positions Vietnam at the forefront of "medical bleisure". This trend is not a fleeting phenomenon; it is redefining the contours of business travel and opening up considerable economic prospects for the country.
Appendix - Key figures on medical tourism in Vietnam
- ♦ In 2024, the size of the medical tourism market in Vietnam reached approximately $722.3 million.
- ♦ The market is projected to grow rapidly, reaching $3.7 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.8% between 2025 and 2033.
- ♦ According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, about 300,000 foreign visitors come to Vietnam annually for medical examinations and treatments, with a large portion choosing major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.
- ♦ The global medical tourism market is estimated to be worth $100 billion in 2024 with an annual growth rate of 15% to 25%.
- ♦ The Vietnamese authorities are implementing strategic plans to position the country as a regional health hub between 2025 and 2030, with the development of modern medical infrastructure and specialized services for international patients.
- ♦ International tourism in Vietnam continues to grow strongly, with more than 13.9 million international visitors expected in the first 8 months of 2025, which also indirectly supports the medical tourism dynamic.
These figures highlight the strong potential and rapid growth of Vietnamese medical tourism, supported by modern infrastructure, a competitive cost structure, and a structured official development framework.