China's Hainan eyes medical tourism boom after South Korea axes cosmetic surgery tax perks
leading medical tourism hub , aiming to attract more nationals to use local healthcare services instead of seeking treatment abroad – after South Korea announced plans to scrap tax rebates for foreigners undergoing cosmetic surgery.
The popular tourist destination in southern China plans to draw more than 1.5 million domestic medical tourists annually by 2027, up from the current level of over 400,000, according to a local government document issued on Monday.
Hainan has also pledged to reverse the outflow of overseas medical consumption. It aims to approve two to four real-world research pilot products for domestic market entry each year and introduce at least 40 international innovative drugs and medical devices annually.
In the first quarter of 2025, institutions in Hainan's special medical tourism zone welcomed 111,500 visitors seeking treatment, up 29.8 per cent year on year, the state-owned People's Daily reported last month.
The use of licensed drugs and medical devices reached 16,000 people during the same period – a 44.14 per cent rise from a year earlier, according to the report.
The push came as South Korea – a top competitor in medical tourism – risks losing its appeal due to a policy change announced on July 31. The new regulation, which takes effect next year, will remove value-added tax refunds for foreign tourists using medical beauty services.
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