''Medical tourists spent €5m for medical services in Latvia last year. The drop in overall tourist numbers to Latvia has not impacted the medical tourism sector, as the number of medical tourists visiting the country increased last year, which shows to the potential of this sector,'' the president of the Latvian Medical Export Association Olafs Slutins told LETA.
He said foreign medical tourists visiting Latvia to receive treatment usually choose various diagnostics and dental services, which have much lower prices compared to other countries, but are still of very high quality.
Foreigners visiting Latvia for medical services also frequently choose services in the area of phlebology, ophthalmology, traumatology, orthopedics, plastic surgery, dermatology and treating infertility. Oncology is another area with a substantial increase in various treatments and services.
Slutins said that private medical services in Latvia have developed quite rapidly in recent years, as over 10 new clinics have been opened, with investments of tens of millions.