Photo: Shutterstock Lithuania has been recognized as one of the leading medical tourism destinations in the world.
In a ceremony held recently at the world's largest tourism travel fair- ITB Berlin, Lithuania won the prestigious ITB Health Tourism Award 2025, awarded to countries excelling in the field of medical tourism.
The award represents significant recognition of the development of the sector in the country, the quality of services, and its increasingly strengthening international status.
The award ceremony took place on March 5 in Berlin as part of the prestigious ITB Medical & Health Night event.
Kristina Čitbėrienė, CEO of the Lithuanian Recreation Sites Association, noted that this is not only a great honor for the country but also a strategic opportunity.
"The medical tourism sector in Lithuania is continuously growing and attracting more and more tourists from abroad looking for quality health and wellness services. Winning this award strengthens Lithuania's image as an innovative and attractive destination in the field, and contributes to expanding its international visibility. I am confident that this recognition will aid further development of the sector and allow for planning to accommodate a higher number of medical tourists," said Čitbėrienė.
Artūras Salda, chairman of the Association of Spa and Medical Rehabilitation Institutions in Lithuania, emphasized that the win is a result of long-term work and the proper utilization of the country’s natural resources.
According to him, a wide variety of rehabilitation, spa, and leisure services, increasing accessibility to major cities in Europe, and combining high quality with competitive prices have contributed to the country's international recognition.
Lithuania is experiencing significant growth in medical tourism, attracting more international visitors and increasing the duration of their stays.
According to the Spa Houses Association, 290,000 patients sought rehabilitation services in Lithuania in 2024—a 16% increase from the previous year. The total number of overnight stays also surged by 21%, reaching nearly 1.5 million annually.
Visitors from Germany and Israel are among the most prominent, with an average stay of over 11 nights for medical treatments.
Lithuanians are also investing more in their well-being. Those paying for private healthcare services instead of relying on government funding tend to extend their stays, averaging 2.5 days per visit.
Lithuania’s excellence in medical and wellness tourism has earned it growing international recognition. At the 2024 European Spa Association (ESPA) Congress, Lithuanian spa resorts and health centers won seven prestigious awards.
Highlighting its appeal beyond medical tourism, Lonely Planet ranked Lithuania the second-best tourism destination worldwide and the top destination in Europe for 2025.
This year, direct flights from Israel to Vilnius and Kaunas will be available, further enhancing accessibility to Lithuania.
The Israeli airline OverSeas, which operated direct flights to Kaunas last year, will continue its service to both cities. Additionally, Israir has announced new flights to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, expanding travel options for Israeli visitors.
