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Singapore - Asia's medical tourism industry is expected to generate over $4.4 billion a year by 2012, with India, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea the top destinations, a leading travel firm said yesterday.

Low-cost, high-quality health care in Asia  is already attracting more than 1.6 million tourists each year, mostly from within the region, according to a report issued by Singapore-based air ticketing firm Abacus International.

According to the report, medical tourism - which refers to trips combining treatment and check-ups with leisure - is growing by 20 to 30% each year with the industry now worth around half a billion dollars a year in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and India.

Thailand welcomes more than one million medical tourists each year because of the variety of procedures available, Abacus said.

Bumrungrad International Hospital for example offers a full spectrum of surgical services performed by certified doctors all under one roof.

Singapore, on the other hand, is known for delivering cutting-edge medical treatment and attracts medical tourists with its competitively priced services.

For example, hip-replacement surgery costs two-thirds less in Singapore than in the United States, the report said.

The city-state attracts 370,000 medical tourists each year and is targeting one million medical visitors and $1.6 billion in revenue by 2012.

"India (is) providing first-class service at a third-world price", the report said. It cites the low death rate for coronary bypass operations as evidence of quality health care.

Malaysia, which drew 100,000 patients in the first half of 2005, expects its medical tourism receipts to reach $590 million in five years' time.

Although most of these tourists are from Asia, some come from the United States and Europe as well. AFP