In the last few years, Moldova has emerged as an unexpected new destination for medical tourists, attracting patients from across Europe and beyond.

Over 36,000 international patients come to the country every year, 60% of them for dental work, according to Invest Moldova, the government agency promoting investment and exports.

In an interview with bne IntelliNews in autumn 2025, Invest Moldova director Natalia Bejan described the sector  as “an area that is going to be more and more visible … Medical services export is making a bigger and bigger contribution to our GDP.” 

While some facilities targeting foreigners have been open for years, the growth in the sector is relatively recent; in just the last few years dental clinics and IVF centres, among others, have started drawing large numbers of patients from countries including Italy, the UK and Israel, and Moldova became the president of the Global Healthcare Travel Council (GHTC) for a two-year term in 2024, competing successfully against Germany and Saudi Arabia. 

Natalia Ciobanu, president of both the Medical Tourism Association of Moldova and GHTC, said her goal is to grow medical tourism into “one of the biggest industries in Moldova”, as quoted by Invest Moldova. 

A growing market

Moldova attracts visitors for a range of treatments, from dental procedures and cosmetic surgery to fertility treatments and wellness retreats. According to the Medical Tourism Association of Moldova, fertility clinics in the country report success rates exceeding 40%, higher than the European average. Popular cosmetic procedures include breast surgery and facelifts.

Dr Corrado Palmas, an Italian dentist and founder of Dr Palmas Clinic, described his clinic’s rapid growth since opening in 2014, the year after he first came to Moldova on a study visit.

“When we started in Moldova, nobody was doing dental tourism, and basically I was the person who started advertising Moldova,” he told bne IntelliNews. “We started in the Italian market and for several years we continued closely targeting Italy, then we started to target other countries and spread the news Moldova could be the best choice."

Dr Palmas Clinic offers full-mouth rehabilitation, and has treated around 25,000 people since its launch. It now employs around 600 people at its initial clinic launched in 2014, and second clinic that opened in 2020. 

Dr. Palmas said Moldova’s affordability and quality were key to attracting patients. Prices are around half the level in fellow East European countries such as Croatia, Hungary or Romania, where costs are now closer to those in Western Europe. “At the same time, he said, “Quality standards are European – high-quality standards because we work with European patients. I practically copy-pasted an Italian clinic here.” He also notes that the sector is strictly regulated. "Probably in some areas there are harder regulations in Moldova compared to some countries in Europe.” 

Growing sector 

The country’s healthcare services exports have nearly tripled in five years. Revenue from foreign patients reached approximately $64.4mn in 2024, up from $25.1mn in 2020, according to Invest Moldova. In the first quarter of 2025, exports totaled $16.49mn, a 17% increase from the same period the previous year.

Patients come primarily from Romania, Italy, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, the UK, Israel, Canada and the US. “First we have affordable prices with high-quality services. A lot of doctors and nurses studied abroad, so they speak Italian, German, Greek… it is very easy for travellers to communicate with doctors,” said Elena Stepanov of the National Inbound and Domestic Tourism Association of Moldova (ANTRIM).

Stepanov pointed out in an interview with bne IntelliNews that medical tourists typically stay longer than standard visitors, creating opportunities to combine healthcare with cultural and rural experiences.

Commenting on the broader tourism sector, she adds that the country is careful to preserve its authenticity rather than chasing mass tourism. “If we speak about tourism in general, Moldova is not for mass tourism. We don’t want to become a mass destination, because we are a small country and it’s very important to preserve authenticity. 

Building a reputation 

While Moldova’s medical tourism sector is still in its early stages, local providers are investing in infrastructure and partnerships to create a full-service experience. Some clinics offer apartments or hotel-style accommodations for patients. Packages typically include flights, transfers, accommodation, meals and wellness activities such as wine tours or cooking masterclasses.

Dr. Palmas compared the country’s growth potential to Istanbul’s medical tourism boom 20 years ago. “Moldova is one of the last countries that will integrate fully in Europe. When it happens ... everything grows fast,” he said. Looking at the development of Istanbul’s medical tourism sector, he says he sees the same pattern now happening in Moldova. 

“We have learned from the past 15 years. Now we are improving to make the experience better in future,” he adds.“We are a country that is entering Europe, and there is a huge opportunity for Moldova for healthcare tourism.” 

Invest Moldova estimates the country is currently using only around 5% of its potential in medical services exports, with capacity to reach $1.5bn annually. Industry representatives say continued investment in healthcare infrastructure, hotel accommodations, and targeted international promotion will be key to sustaining growth.

According to Stepanov, the potential market is huge. However, she says, “In urban areas we don’t have enough infrastructure or accommodation. Now we see the needs of the sector, we have some investment but the focus is mainly to increase the number of accommodation units of hotels.”

For example, by 2028 Moldova is expected to have Moxy and Renaissance branded hotels near clinics, while another hotel is currently being reconstructed to focus on medical tourists.  

“So now Moldova has a good position, and I think we have to keep this idea that Moldova is about medical tourism.” She also points out that it will benefit the entire tourist sector: “Once people come for medical tourism, they come again for something else.”