Today's High-Level Forum will explore the possibilities as sports and wellbeing tourism continues to grow.

Across the world, demand for medical and wellbeing tourism is on the rise. In Russia, for example, the number of international tourists visiting traditional spas - or Bayna – has been rising steadily, while elsewhere, people cross borders for everything from medical operations and dental work to yoga camps and mindfulness retreats.

In most cases, travelling outside their home country means that tourists can benefit from more affordable – or better – treatment. Or, as the proportion of the global population living in large cities continues to grow, they may travel abroad to relax and de-stress. In return, destinations can benefit from this trend in several ways. Health and wellbeing tourism is a year-round activity, plus, if properly managed, it can be linked to other products such as cultural tourism. Furthermore, in many cases, health and wellbeing destinations are outside of big cities, providing economic benefits and creating jobs in rural areas.

Today’s High Level Forum on Medical and Health Tourism brings together public and private stakeholders to discuss the current state of the sector, the reasons behind its recent growth as well as both its potential and the challenges it will face in the years ahead. Speakers include Mr. Beglov Alexander, Acting Governor of St. Petersburg, Mr. Alexey Repik, President of the All-Russia Business Association and Ministers from Andorra, Algeria, Jamaica and Slovenia. The Keynote Speech will be given by Jonathan Edelheit, Chairman of the Medical Tourism Association.  

High-Level Forum on Medical and Health Tourism, Dumsky Hall, 16:00-18:00 ​