Prospects for The Development of Medical Tourism in Uzbekistan

Abstract

Medical tourism has emerged as a significant sector within the global economy, driven by patient mobility and advancements in healthcare services. Uzbekistan has recognized the potential of medical tourism as part of its broader economic diversification strategy, yet remains a minor player with only 0.1% of the global market share despite regional patient inflows. There is a lack of integrated approaches addressing legal, infrastructural, human resource, digital, partnership, and regional development needs to establish Uzbekistan as a competitive destination. This study aims to analyze global trends in medical tourism, assess Uzbekistan’s current position, and propose strategic directions to enhance its medical tourism sector. Findings show that factors such as cost savings, quality of medical services, technological advancements, and combining treatment with leisure drive global medical tourism growth. Uzbekistan has increased inbound medical tourists from 12,000 in 2015 to over 61,000 in 2023, yet key barriers include limited international certification of clinics and language barriers. The article proposes a cohesive multi-dimensional framework for development, including legal reforms, modern infrastructure, digital marketing platforms, foreign language training for staff, strategic partnerships, and region-based medical tourism clusters. Effective implementation of these recommendations could position Uzbekistan as a regional hub, generating up to $300 million annually from medical tourism exports, enhancing economic growth, and integrating national healthcare into global service markets while improving access and quality for domestic patients.