K-medical tourism draws visitors from Russia and Kazakhstan

Apr 29, 2026, 09:35 am

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/ Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

The Korea Tourism Organization is ramping up efforts to attract more international visitors through high-value medical tourism, focusing on Russia and Kazakhstan.

From April 17 to 25, the organization held a series of promotional events to showcase “K-medical tourism.” In Russia, it hosted the 2026 Korea Medical Tourism Roadshow in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, drawing around 330 participants from local tourism and healthcare industries. The event included business consultations and master classes aimed at improving understanding and sales of medical tourism packages to Korea.

In Almaty, Kazakhstan, the organization participated in the Kazakhstan International Tourism Fair (KITF) from April 22 to 25. It operated a Korea Pavilion highlighting medical and wellness tourism content and organized a B2B travel mart with 40 local agencies.

A consumer-focused experiential event held at a major shopping mall attracted about 50,000 visitors, promoting Korea through medical tourism, K-beauty, and K-food. In addition, eight Korean medical specialists provided one-on-one consultations, offering local participants a chance to experience Korean healthcare services firsthand.

Through the events, a total of 4,397 B2B and B2C consultations were conducted, resulting in 346 contracts. The organization estimates these deals will generate approximately 5.8 billion won in revenue.

Medical tourism to Korea continues to grow, with over 2 million visitors recorded last year. Visitors from Russia and Kazakhstan reached 35,450, marking a 14% increase year-on-year, while per capita spending exceeded the average by about 40%.

The organization expects further growth, particularly from northwestern Russia, including Saint Petersburg, as it targets emerging regional markets.

The Korea Tourism Organization has been implementing region-specific strategies, such as attracting high-end VIP tourists in China, hosting large-scale events in Japan, and exploring new markets like Erdenet in Mongolia.

Lee Dong-seok, head of the Medical & Wellness Team, said, “Based on the local networks established through this roadshow, we will position Korea as a tourism destination that combines advanced medical technology with K-wellness.”

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