TEHRAN – Shiraz, one of Iran’s major cultural and tourist destinations, has become a major centre for medical tourism in the region, local officials said.
According to Mohsen Zai, director of Tourism for the Fars State Tourism Authority, the city offers advanced medical facilities, specialized medical teams and integrated medical tourism services that attract visitors from neighboring countries.
Authorities have launched a centralized health tourism system in Shiraz, the state’s capital, providing international patient-certified hospitals, travel services offices and professional tour guides. The platform also allows patients to file complaints about medical or travel services. This will be handled through a legal surveillance mechanism, Ziaei said.
“This system will play an important role in ensuring transparency and efficiency in the health and tourism industry,” Ziaei told reporters, adding that strict surveillance will help ensure a high standard of care.
Oman has expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Shiraz in health tourism, and Omani officials have emphasized the importance of building close bilateral relations to encourage patients to seek treatment in Iranian cities. The move reflects the growing awareness of Shiraz’s medical capabilities in regional countries.
Shiraz’s expansion is in line with Iran’s broader strategy to boost health tourism across the country. Deputy Tourism Minister Anusilvan Moseni Bandopei said the government has set up a health tourism system integrated in Tehran, Khorasan Razabi and Faz provinces and plans to expand to other parts of the country.
The national system is developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Patients Division, approved travel agencies and accredited hospitals of medical professionals. Officials say it is designed to streamline services, improve transparency and manage the entire medical travel process.
Officials say the advancements could serve as a model for other Iranian regions seeking to expand their role in the Middle East’s growing health and tourism sector.
6 billion euros watched vision for medical tourism revenue
Last September, Mohammad Reza Vez Mahdavi, chairman of Iran’s Health Economics and Science Association, announced that the Islamic Republic could generate 6 billion euros per year from medical tourism with appropriate plans. He also highlighted his vision to become a healthcare hub for West Asia in the coming years. This includes plans to export 1 billion euros of vaccines and medical devices each year.
Available data suggests that Iran’s current annual medical exports are 200 million euros. According to a report released by the Iranian Ministry of Health in August 2023, Iran receives around 1 million medical tourists each year, and foreign patients seek treatment in a variety of specialties. “One million foreign patients are treated in Iran every year,” the report said, highlighting the growing influence of the country in the global health sector.
Neighborhood countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain, Armenia and Tajikistan make up Iran’s major sources of health tourism.
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