Macao is making progress in its tourism+big health economic diversification efforts through an expansion of health-related infrastructure across the city. According to the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), new facilities include the Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, iRad Hospital at Studio City Macau, Medical Center at Wynn Palace Cotai, and Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology and Creativity Museum.
The MGTO spokesman said these facilities “create a solid foundation for health and wellness tourism experiences”.
MGTO actively promotes wellness offerings to visitors worldwide and encourages the travel trade to explore available resources.
This commitment carries through last week’s MITE 2026, where the Macao+Hengqin medical tourism potential was highlighted. An inspection of Macao and Hengqin health institutions was offered to MITE 2026 buyers on April 11.
The Macao-Hengqin Wellness Traveller Forum, also held on April 11 in collaboration with the Economic Development Bureau of Hengqin using a multi-venue events model, presented new medical tourism routes through both Hengqin and Macao across two to three days.
Exhibitor Macau Investment (Hengqin) Health Tourism Co. runs the TCM Cultural Experience Centre, the venue for the April 11 forum. Xue Ji, assistant sales manager of the centre, told TTG Asia that 150 delegates from Macao and overseas participated in the event.
The TCM Cultural Experience Centre conducts its own traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) promotions through study tours for students from Hong Kong. Some 1,600 students will join its programmes this April to June, according to Xue.
Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital was a first-time exhibitor at MITE 2026. It showed off its smart healthcare innovations through displays of high-end medical equipment.
Head of international medical department, Zhang Hong, said the medical centre wants to attract both mainland and overseas Chinese.
Andy Wu, managing director of Gam Lun Macau Tours, sees opportunities for travel agents to work with IRs in Macao to grow opportunities in tourism+big health, especially as more properties diversify into wellness and medical services.
Cindia Lam, dean of Institute of Executive and Professional Development at the Macao University of Tourism, said Macao’s academia can support talent development, training, and research in the area of tourism+big health.
“Macao is increasingly well positioned to develop this segment, with infrastructure and policy direction becoming clearer, while continued work is underway on talent development and service integration.
“With new hospitals now in operation and specialist services expanding, local medical education and residency pathways are also taking shape,” she reflected.
Lam opined that “a broader health and wellness experience that combines medical or wellness services with hospitality, therapeutic dining, TCM elements, and selected cultural and leisure offerings” is the “most suitable model for Macao”.
She stressed the need for a collaborative approach for Macao’s health and wellness tourism bid to succeed: hospitals must ensure clinical quality, tourism operators must shape the visitor experience, and the government must provide policy and coordination.
