War in Middle East hits India's medical tourism
India's hospitals are feeling the pinch as the U.S.-Israel-Iran war leads to a sharp fall (up to 75%) in patients from the Middle East.
Big names like Fortis and Marengo say fewer people are flying in for treatment because of airspace closures and pricier tickets; Apollo noted travel restrictions could affect flows from Africa and expects the impact to be short-term.
As Fortis chief operating officer Anil Vinayak put it, there has been a decline of more than 30% in international footfall, hitting hospital revenue by up to 20%.
Hospitals now looking to new markets
With many patients postponing surgeries and treatments, hospitals are now turning their focus to new markets in Southeast Asia and Africa.
Experts think it could take a couple of months for things to bounce back once travel is safe again.
The situation highlights just how much global crises can shake up even fast-growing sectors like Indian medical tourism.