Telangana plans Medical Tourism Society and Hydearbad Medical Value Tourism hub

The proposal was discussed during a high-level policy round-table organised by Telangana Tourism on Friday, where senior officials and representatives from the healthcare and tourism industries examined governance models, institutional mechanisms, and the long-term vision for the proposed body.

India’s medical value travel sector has recently gained ground under the ‘Heal in India’ initiative, with projections suggesting the market will expand to $20.4 billion by 2026 and further escalate to a range of $25-28 billion by 2030. This upward trend is largely attributed to increasing global demand and enhanced visa processes. Other than Delhi and Chennai, cities that used to lead the sector, Hyderabad has also secured a significant place by being placed among India’s top three medical value travel destinations, reports The Daily.

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director V Kranthi chaired the discussion and said that it is high time for the city to upgrade to the next stage of advancement. “Hyderabad stands institutionally and operationally prepared to scale as a globally trusted medical value tourism destination. With our integrated healthcare-hospitality-aviation ecosystem and clinical excellence, we are well-positioned to emerge as one of India’s five regional Medical Value Tourism hubs,” she told The New Indian Express. “Hyderabad’s combination of clinical excellence, affordability, and connectivity gives it a natural advantage. With coordinated policy support, the city can move from being a top destination to becoming a sector leader,” she added.

The initiative seeks to establish a unified system for medical tourism operations while enhancing the city’s international standing in the sector. Participants pointed to Hyderabad’s advantages, including modern healthcare facilities, reliable clinical results, competitive treatment costs, and a closely connected healthcare, hospitality, and aviation network. Industry stakeholders also stressed the importance of forming a single coordinating authority to oversee global promotion, international engagement, ethical regulation, grievance handling systems, and licensing procedures for medical tourism facilitators.

An industry participant noted, “Medical travellers today seek transparency, seamless facilitation, and post-treatment continuity of care. A structured state-level body will help ensure consistency in patient experience while enhancing global confidence in Hyderabad as a destination.” Establishing an integrated greenfield medical value tourism hub in Hyderabad has also been proposed under a public-private partnership model during the round-table. A comprehensive proposal is anticipated to be submitted to the Union ministries. This document should align with the stipulations detailed in the Union Budget 2026, specifically focusing on the establishment of five national MVT hubs as outlined in the budgetary provisions.

Commenting on the hub proposal, a senior official said, “The integrated MVT hub model will not only strengthen healthcare delivery but also create a complete ecosystem - from treatment to recuperation and tourism - making Hyderabad a comprehensive medical travel destination.”