Medical tourism lifts Mexico’s Caribbean coast as beach tourism falls 7%

While overall tourism in the state of Quintana Roo has contracted this year, medical tourism has demonstrated remarkable resilience, according to data from the Medical Tourism Commission of Coparmex Quintana Roo.

Traditional sun-and-beach tourism has declined almost 7% during the first nine months of 2026 — representing approximately 959,000 fewer travelers — whereas 25,000 healthcare tourists are expected to travel to the Caribbean state this year, generating an estimated economic impact of 200 million pesos (US $10.76 million).

Andrés Jurado Viera, director of the specialty firm My Medical Vacations and president of the Medical Tourism Commission, explained that these visitors are not drawn by the beaches, so problems like sargassum do not affect their travel decisions.

“Their main objective is to access high-quality healthcare treatment at competitive prices, as well as first-rate hospital infrastructure and top-quality medical staff,” he said.

Jurado said the average cost per patient rose from US $11,000 to $13,500 in the last year, a 20% increase due to the exchange rate, but one that still represents savings of up to 80% compared to costs in the United States. 

When the trend began 16 years ago, medical tourism focused on plastic surgery and dentistry. Today it encompasses more complex procedures thanks to positive reports of hospital experiences in Cancún. 

A Commission report found that the visitor profile stands out for its socioeconomic impact. Visitors register average stays of 11 days or more, which generates higher hotel occupancy and boosts sectors such as gastronomy and transportation. 

As a result of sustained demand in this sector (following a decade of double-digit growth), the commission will participate in the first joint working group meeting involving the state Tourism Ministry, the Hotel Association and airport representatives will be held this month to promote the destination in strategic markets in North America and Mexico.

This medical tourism has also triggered hospital investment in the region — both foreign and domestic — as new clinics are being built (including a Wyndham Group medical center in the Riviera Maya), international certifications have been procured and diversification of specialties has noticeably increased.

The United States remains the leading source of patients; Canada saw a slight decrease due to the exchange rate against the dollar.