From Dubai to Switzerland, medical precision and five-star wellness hospitality have come together to offer extraordinarily exclusive regenerative escapes.
These days, the term medical tourism generally rings alarm bells. Off-putting images of botched dentistry from low-cost clinics in Turkey have made travelers much more wary of seeking interventions abroad.
But when the aim is not to save money but to spend it on the best that’s out there, it’s a whole different world. Among the world’s most affluent, jetting halfway around the globe for health or beauty treatments requires no second thought. And the hospitality sector has taken note.
From Dubai to Switzerland, medical precision and five-star wellness hospitality have come together to offer extraordinarily exclusive regenerative escapes.
Gone are the days of clinically minimalist, impersonal institutions. Now, patients can seek collagen recovery and stem-cell treatments while gazing at snow-dusted Alps and consulting the dinner menu for a Michelin-starred meal.
The rise of regenerative treatment travel
“As Millennials enter middle age, the generation that invented FOMO is now shifting to FOGO—fear of getting old,” says Hugo Lamb, Group Strategy Director at global place brand ERA-co. “This sense that the body is failing to keep up, limiting a full enjoyment of life, has reshaped wellness into a trillion-dollar industry.”
For many, rather than ‘surface-level’ interventions like botox, the focus is shifting to “holistic longevity, addressing cellular health, emotional wellbeing, and lifestyle,” explains Dr Barbara Kubicka.
At her practice Clinicbe in London, this means focusing on supporting the body’s own regenerative capacity “through collagen-inducing protocols, exosome therapy, cellular renewal treatments, and personalized skin and hair programs that restore vitality from within.”
Ultra-high-net-worth individuals are now seeking the most cutting-edge clinics offering stellar medical standards, artistic precision, and discretion—and that has resulted in a growing trend for regenerative treatment travel.
At Clinicbe, around 30% of clients are international, from countries including the USA, Portugal and Nigeria, and that number continues to grow year on year by at least 10%, Kubicka says.
She adds that there are certain treatments and technologies that may only be accessible in particular regions, often due to differences in medical regulation, clinical research, and innovation pathways.
Some advanced regenerative or stem-cell-based therapies are more readily available in places like Switzerland or the US, where frameworks for clinical innovation can move faster.
In contrast, the UK maintains some of the world’s strictest standards for medical safety and ethical practice which, while sometimes slower to adopt new techniques, ensures that patient outcomes are consistent and evidence-based.
From biohacking in Dubai to intravenous infusions in Italy
As clients seek high-end hospitality alongside their expert health treatments, hotels and resorts have begun introducing dedicated facilities while clinics have revamped their accommodation options—what Lamb calls the ‘hospital-hotel hybrid’.
Palazzo Fiuggi in Italy is one of the most renowned medical retreats in Europe. Each guest receives a personalized longevity plan that might include treatments like intravenous infusions, binatural sound therapy, and cryotherapy.
Then, outside the lab, they can meander through the historic palace rooms adorned with frescoes and Murano chandeliers, play a round on a bucolic golf course, and indulge in a longevity-boosting food line created by three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck.
Many five-star hotels have also upgraded their spa offerings to include expert regenerative treatments. The Longevity Suite, a European network specializing in advanced biohacking and anti-ageing technology, now operates spas in hotels such as the San Clemente Palace in Venice and Portrait Milano in Milan.
At the same time, hospitals and clinics are upscaling their hospitality offerings. Mediclinic City Hospital in Dubai now offers a VIP floor with deluxe suites, a valet, and a private entrance.
Many look to Switzerland’s long-established white-glove approach to medical centres. Chenot Palace Weggis on the shores of Lake Lucerne, for example, whisks clients into a fantasy world of turreted mansions, Michelin-standard cuisine, and an off-the-scale staff-to-guest ratio.
Turkey is more than budget dentistry
Turkey has become one of the world’s most talked-about destinations for cosmetic and surgical procedures, now often with a controversial reputation. But Dr Rüya Türegün, managing director of the Turkey-based clinic Medicci Aesthetics, says medical tourism in the country actually now has a two-tier reputation.
“On one end, you have exceptional surgeons, world-class facilities, and internationally accredited clinics. On the other, a small number of unregulated operators offering procedures at unsustainably low prices. Unfortunately, that lower end has shaped a lot of global perception,” she says.
Türegün’s clinic is part of a conscious drive to redefine what the Turkish medical experience looks like, focusing on artistry, patient safety, and a full luxury experience.
“Every procedure is led by board-certified surgeons, we adhere to European and UK standards of care, and our model prioritizes long-term results and patient satisfaction and full healthy recovery before discharge over volume,” she says. “We see ourselves as part of a new generation of Turkish clinics raising the global benchmark.”
Medicci Aesthetics, like many high-end clinics, also welcomes a large volume of international patients. “Istanbul and other major cities have evolved into lifestyle destinations. Patients aren’t just coming for surgery; they’re coming for recovery experiences that blend medicine with culture, cuisine, and hospitality,” she says.
The new wave of Turkish medical providers is investing heavily in design, service, and international partnerships. “Patients today want a 360° journey, not just an operation,” Türegün says. “They expect a concierge-level experience from the moment they land: private transfers, luxury recovery suites, nutrition, aftercare, even emotional support.”
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This story was originally published on forbes.com and all figures are in USD.
