Medical Tourism Conference in Yerevan: What Patients Should Know
Yerevan hosted the Global Conference on Medical Tourism in September. Key points: three Armenian hospitals have JCI accreditation, and the Health Ministry is focusing on physician licensing.
The Global Conference on Medical Tourism took place in Yerevan from September 21 to 23, 2026, under the theme “Travel for Care, Stay for Healing: When Patients Become Guests.” It was organized by the Tourism Committee of Armenia’s Ministry of Economy and UN Tourism (the United Nations World Tourism Organization).
The conference brought together representatives from health care, tourism, insurance companies, investors, and private businesses.
What Was Said
- UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nowais described medical tourism as one of the industry’s fastest-growing segments. According to her, Armenia already has three hospitals with JCI accreditation. This is an international quality standard that allows patients with international health insurance to receive treatment in Armenia.
- Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan described the development of resort and medical tourism as strategically important. He noted that the country has qualified doctors, modern equipment, and tourism potential to support this development. At the same time, he said, it needs a reliable, competitive system that meets international standards.
- Deputy Minister of Health Samvel Kharazyan said that Armenia is introducing universal health insurance and plans to cover the entire population within the next 3–4 years. He also emphasized physician licensing as an important tool for building trust in the system that also influences patients’ decisions to seek treatment abroad.
After the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan met with the UN Tourism Secretary-General. They discussed tourism regulation, digital solutions, and potential areas of cooperation.
What This Means for Patients
The government is taking medical tourism seriously. In practice, this means greater attention to physician licenses and quality standards. When choosing a clinic, it is already worth asking about its license and international accreditation: this is a quick way to screen out unqualified providers. We explain how to do this in our step-by-step guide.