site.btaStudy: Bulgaria Can Generate EUR 140 Mln-Plus in GVA from Medical Tourism

Bulgaria has the potential to generate an annual gross value added (GVA) of over EUR 140 million from around 22,000 foreigners visiting the country for medical tourism, according to a study conducted by a working group initiated by the Minister of Tourism, Miroslav Borshosh, for the development of this segment. The data were presented at the National Press Club of BTA.

According to the most conservative scenario, the annual number of foreign patients deliberately seeking healthcare services in Bulgaria generates around EUR 30 million in GAV, said lawyer Svilena Dimitrova from the Bulgarian Hospital Association. Under a realistic scenario with 12,000 patients, the GVA is estimated at about EUR 72 million, while in an optimistic scenario with 22,000 patients, it exceeds EUR 140 million, she added.

The presented data and facts show that Bulgaria has significant capacity in medical tourism, both in terms of bed availability and the number and qualifications of specialists, commented Borshosh. He noted that the development of the sector aligns with policies for regional development, job creation, retaining young doctors, improving their salaries, and providing opportunities to work in a highly competitive and technologically advanced environment.

Dimitrova said that revenues from medical tourism are distributed both directly within the healthcare sector and indirectly through employment in related activities. Under the realistic scenario, it is expected that between 1,000 and 1,500 new jobs will be created. According to her, this will stimulate tourism and the hotel industry, particularly around medical facilities and centers, as well as expand wellness and spa services. This provides an opportunity for patients who initially undergo serious medical treatment to subsequently benefit from rehabilitation and spa services. In turn, this will require hiring more chiropractors, physiotherapists, aestheticians, and specialists in comprehensive care, and overall will help retain medical professionals in the country.

The strongest impact is expected in resort areas with balneotherapy and spa traditions—Velingrad, Hisarya, Narechenski Bani, Sandanski, Devin, Pavel Banya, Kyustendil, Varna, and Bankya. According to the study, the most promising fields for attracting foreign patients are dental and reproductive medicine, plastic and reconstructive surgery, physical and rehabilitation medicine, and orthopedics. In these sectors, the study suggests that a natural synergy will develop between medical services and the balneotherapy and spa treatments that Bulgaria could offer to the same patients in the future.

To fulfill this potential, a national marketing strategy targeting foreign markets, as well as a predictable and incentivizing regulatory environment, is required, the report states.

Borshosh emphasized that the analysis will serve as a basis next year for uniting the efforts of state institutions, municipalities, higher education, and the industry to develop a comprehensive concept for the development of medical tourism.

The chairperson of the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism and ESPA President Siyka Katsarova, stated that she was impressed by the group’s pace of work and gave the example of Croatia, which invested ЕUR 360 million from the Recovery and Resilience Plan in health tourism and another EUR 300 million in modernizing healthcare infrastructure. She noted that the development of medical tourism is a personal mission for her and stressed the importance of promoting it at the state level.

The study reveals, for the first time in depth, the range of opportunities that the development of medical tourism offers to Bulgaria, showing that there is potential for significant direct revenues from foreign patients. These revenues would generate not only a direct effect in healthcare but also indirect effects in sectors such as transportation, hospitality, restaurants, trade, insurance, and others. This development will support the sustainability of the healthcare system, noted Dimitrova. According to her, more and more patients are currently seeking alternatives and opportunities to receive treatment in markets that are more accessible both in terms of cost and the time required for services.

The data from the report indicate that the country has the necessary personnel and material resources to develop medical tourism without negatively affecting Bulgarian patients’ access to healthcare services. Dimitrova said that Bulgarians enjoy one of the best levels of accessibility to healthcare and the fastest access to specialists in the entire European Union, adding that Bulgaria can afford, by investing in this area, to expand the pool of patients who turn to the country for medical services.