Medical tourism up in Costa Rica; Expomed set for this weekend

Medical tourism continues to grow in Costa Rica. Last year, 36,000 tourists visited the country for health-related reasons, according to new figures from the Council for the International Promotion of the Costa Rica Medicine (PROMED). In 2009, 30,000 medical tourists visited Costa Rica.

PROMED reported that those who visit Costa Rica for medical procedures often travel with a companion and spend six times more than an average tourist. In 2010, medical tourists brought in $295 million to the country. Most of these visitors arrive from the United States and Canada.

The most popular form of medical tourism remains dentistry. Almost 40 percent of medical tourists visit Costa Rica for a dental procedure. Other popular procedures relate to weight reduction, orthopedics, cardiovascular and cosmetic and plastic surgery.

Health Tourism Fair Coming

The first annual Expomed health tourism fair will allow medical tourism backers to keep promoting the benefits of the industry within Costa Rica.

On Oct. 7-8, medical professionals will convene at the Children’s Museum in downtown San José to discuss ways to better medical tourism with regard to technology, insurance and employment.

Entrance to the event will cost ₡2,500 ($5).