Bulgaria's Health Tourism Flourishing

Novinite.com, Feb 21, 2008

Health tourism in Bulgaria is an increasing trend with more and more citizens of European Union member states, Africa, the Arab world and the United States, who combine a holiday to the Balkan country with a visit at the doctor.

Bulgaria is cashing in from a growing number of Britons, Germans, Americans, as well as citizens of wealthy Arab countries and Bulgarians living abroad, who cannot get treatment on the NHS or cannot afford to pay huge bills for going private, local experts commented, as cited by Trud daily.

According to them Bulgaria is a preferred destination due to the low-cost and high-quality health care.

Foreign women can save at least EUR 10 000 by travelling to Bulgaria to give birth here, while prices that local dentists charge are about seven times lower than those in Western Europe.

Cosmetic surgery remains the uncontested leader in Bulgaria's health tourism portfolio with dozens of Macedonian ladies coming to the capital Sofia to get breast implants.