The 4th Annual World Health Tourism Congress was held in Sofitel Manila, Manila, Philippines, on March 28-29, 2009. This Congress was set up to bring together healthcare providers and purchasers. Purchasers of healthcare are not considered to be the patients themselves, but the corporate buyers such as insurance companies. The itinerary focused on Sports Medicine, Cosmetic Treatment, Medical Treatment, and Wellness Treatment. The term Wellness Treatment, refers to Spas and health resorts. Wellness treatment Centers are one of the top motivations for health tourism.

Day to day living in a big city is quite stressful. Pressures from work and family can cause migraine headaches and back pain. It is easy to lose focus and become off center. This is where destination health tourism finds its niche. People want to get away on vacation not only to relax and visit another country, but to re center their mind and body. Because eastern medicine has a reputation of healing the mind and body through trance and herbal remedies, it is a perfect marketing tool for health tourism.

Long waitlists for major surgeries and transplants can be frustrating. The wait alone is horrendous. Health tourism is filling this hole. Why should a transplant come from the same country? A person waiting on a list for a surgery that is needed immediately, can travel to India or the Philippines and be treated much sooner and at a fraction of the cost.

These are some of the few reasons health tourism is becoming such a big industry. The 5th annual World Health Tourism Congress will be held in May 2010, in Durban South Africa. Admission fees are $995 for the conference alone, and $3,500 for the conference plus 12 pre-scheduled business meetings. The conference will include an exhibition hall. The fee for exhibitors is $3,000 before May first and $4,000 after May 1st. Similarly, the price also goes up $1,000 for admission if registration is submitted after May 1st.