Airbnb & Medical Tourism

It may come as a surprise to some, but medical tourism is a global industry which was valued at over 100 billion dollars in 2024. It is also a growing industry with global projections to reach levels over 700 billion by 2033. The continued growth is also boosting Airbnb bookings, as patients who go abroad for healthcare purposes often prefer Airbnb accommodations over hotels.

Medical Tourism Destination focus: Thailand

Thailand is not only one of the top destinations for vacation and leisure, it is the global leader in medical tourism. Tens of thousands of people visit Bangkok each year specifically for healthcare services (medical, dental, plastic surgery, wellness & more). Many of these patients use Airbnb for their stay, which provides certain benefits in comparison to hotels. We spoke with Derek Halpern, the owner of Health Tours Thailand for more context - "Many patients who visit Thailand for medical vacations choose Airbnb for long term stays. There are a variety of reasons why: in some cases they come with their entire family and having a common space is valuable, in some cases it is because they want to have a kitchen and cook, in some cases it is to save money and in some cases it is in order to reside closer to the hospital they are doing their treatment at. Finding the perfect suitable Airbnb is not easy, as soon as you have particular needs the inventory dries up and condos tend to get booked quickly."

Airbnb growing in Thailand

In 2024 Airbnb listings in Thailand grew by more than 30% in the first half of the year - with Bangkok leading the way. Bangkok was the most visited city in the world in 2024 with over 35 million guests, so the uptick in Airbnb bookings comes as no surprise. Other popular cities for bookings were Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai & Surat Thani. To further court visitors and long term residents, Thailand rolled out a new "Destination Thailand 5 year Visa" which is targeted to appeal to digital nomads, freelancers & remote workers who often choose Airbnb when looking for long term accommodation.

Managing it All

While there can be many Airbnb listings in a big city like Bangkok, as soon as you add filters and particular amenities or number of rooms the inventory dries up and it can be difficult to find the right spot by looking at a point in time. Alertstays helps by monitoring your exact search, on the exact map area with the exact filters (kitchen, AC, number of rooms) and notifying as soon as a spot matches your criteria for an Airbnb close to the care center where you'll get treatment. It takes the pain out of figuring out accommodation for medical tourism.