Bahram Einollahi said that health tourism yields $1 billion in foreign currency annually for the country.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 17th Tehran Tourism & Related Industries Exhibition (TITE), he said that the latest achievements of Iran's universities of medical sciences in the field of health tourism were showcased at the exhibition.
The development of health tourism has been given special attention in the administration of President Ebrahim Raisi, the health minister emphasized.
He went on to say that the number of health tourism centers in the country has risen from 130 to 280 centers, showing a considerable hike in the current administration as compared to the previous years.
Every year, people from different countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Oman, Armenia, Tajikistan and the Persian Gulf littoral states travel to Iran to receive the highest-quality medical services since the country is a leader in the health tourism industry in the region, Einollahi highlighted.
It is hoped that the country will witness booming health tourism in the coming years in cooperation between health and tourism ministries, he added.
The 17th edition of the Tehran Tourism & Related Industries Exhibition was inaugurated at the Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds on February 12 and will run through February 15.