Examining the Potential of Medical Tourism Development in Tanzania

Abstract

Medical tourism has emerged as a rapidly growing global phenomenon, yet its development in many African countries, including Tanzania, remains underexplored. While international research highlights Asia, Latin America and parts of Europe as leading destinations, there is limited empirical evidence on how medical tourism operates in Sub-Saharan Africa and its integration into national tourism and healthcare systems. This study examined the potential for medical tourism development in Tanzania through the qualitative case study design. The study engaged 35 purposively selected participants, including international medical tourists, healthcare providers and hospital administrators. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face and virtually and analyzed thematically, using the NVivo software. Findings indicate that Tanzania has experienced steady growth in international patient arrivals, particularly from neighboring African countries, driven by the availability of specialized treatments in cardiology, oncology and nephrology. Medical tourism contributes significantly to foreign exchange earnings, employment and ancillary sectors, such as hospitality, transport and food services. It also enhanced healthcare infrastructure, technology and professional capacity. The study concludes that Tanzania holds strong potential as a regional medical tourism hub.