Representatives from companies in HCM City and Incheon, South Korea speak about investment opportunities in HCM City on Tuesday. — VNS Photo Thu Ngân

HCM CITY — Co-operation opportunities for medical tourism between companies from HCM City and South Korea’s Incheon City were introduced at a medical conference held in HCM City on Tuesday.

The conference, which was organised as an activity under a co-operation agreement between HCM City and Incheon, attracted about 40 investors from Incheon and hundreds of investors and company representatives from HCM City.

More Vietnamese tourists are visiting South Korea and Incheon in particular to obtain medical treatment. Most of the tourists have general health checks and beauty surgeries as South Korea is the biggest plastic surgery market in the world, conference speakers said.

Speaking to Việt Nam News, Kwon Soon Cheol, president of the Incheon International Medical Council, said that Việt Nam is ranked 7th on the list of countries with tourists coming to Incheon for medical treatment.

"The Vietnamese market has a lot of potential and we hope that it will rank second or third soon," he said.

Incheon organises free tours for foreign patients, including those from HCM City, according to Cheol. 

At the conference, representatives from HCM City introduced multiple investment incentives to attract foreign investors.

Nguyễn Quang Huy, chairman of Việt - Hàn Kotra Industrial Compnay, said that Việt Nam had gained increased competitiveness after signing free trade agreements with other markets and that investing in HCM City has many advantages, especially because of the city's use of many modern technologies in 4.0 industry era.

“HCM City will be come a key area in ASEAN and the world, with many initiatives and technology trainers. So it will attract many large projects with advanced technology," he added.

During the event, businesses from the two cities shared experiences as well as information about advanced technologies in the healthcare sector as well as hospital and beauty salon development.

Representatives from Incheon companies and healthcare centres said they were ready to help Vietnamese doctors and technicians improve their skills. 

On the occasion, a representative office of Inchoen City was opened in District 1 in HCM City. The office will act as the bridge connecting companies from the two cities.

According to HCM City’s Department of Tourism, the number of tourists coming to Viet Nam for medical treatment has surged year after year. Last year, about 300,000 foreigners came to Việt Nam to have medical treatment.

HCM City is actively promoting medical tourism in an effort to provide multiple services to foreign tourists, including those from South Korea. — VNS