Asia Pacific Air Ambulance Services Market

Market Overview

The Asia Pacific air ambulance services market size witnessed significant growth and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 14.0% during the forecast period (2023-2031).The region has a large aging population prone to chronic illnesses like cardiovascular diseases and strokes, requiring emergency medical services provided by air ambulances.

Air ambulances are fixed-wing or rotor-wing aircraft or helicopters with a built-in critical care unit and medical supplies to handle medical emergencies, patient transfers, and life-saving rescue operations where ground vehicles cannot go. 

The Asia-Pacific air ambulance services market is driven by the expanding population, increasing frequency of accidents and medical crises, and the demand for speedy and efficient medical transportation. The region's varied landscape and huge rural regions contribute to the region's demand for air ambulance services, which provide a faster and more effective way of reaching isolated locales. Furthermore, technical improvements in air medical equipment and infrastructure development help grow the Asia-Pacific air ambulance services market.

Market Dynamics

Asia-Pacific Air Ambulance Services Market Drivers

Increasing Medical Tourism

Medical tourism is increasing in Asia-Pacific, with people flying from wealthy countries to countries like India, Thailand, and Singapore for inexpensive and high-quality medical treatments. As a result of this trend, there is a greater demand for air ambulance services to deliver patients safely and effectively. For example, medical tourism is a thriving sector in India, with thousands of overseas patients visiting the country for various medical operations. Air ambulance services are critical in ensuring that these patients are transferred to their home countries or specialist healthcare institutions in a timely and secure. According to a Medical Tourism Association survey, India is Asia-Pacific's most popular medical tourism destination. Air ambulance services are often employed in India to transport patients from rural regions to metropolitan hospitals. As the need for medical tourism grows, so will the demand for air ambulance services.

Asia Pacific Air Ambulance Services Market Restraints

High Cost and Limited Availability

The expense of air ambulance transportation, including the aircraft, medical personnel, and equipment, can be prohibitively expensive for many people. This is especially noticeable in low-income nations with insufficient healthcare coverage. For example, in countries such as India, where individuals bear a major percentage of healthcare bills out of pocket, the high cost of air ambulance services might be a barrier for many people. The lack of insurance coverage, especially for air ambulance services, exacerbates the affordability issue. Furthermore, in certain Asia-Pacific nations, air ambulance services may be confined to big cities or specific regions, making it difficult for persons in isolated or rural areas to get fast and economical air transportation during a medical emergency.

Asia Pacific Air Ambulance Services Market Opportunities

Growing Medical Infrastructure

Many Asian nations are spending considerably to improve their healthcare facilities. Creating sophisticated hospitals, medical centers, and specialized healthcare facilities is part of this. These institutions' expansion necessitates efficient patient transportation, particularly when patients require immediate medical attention or specialized therapies. Air ambulance services, which provide speedy and safe transportation for patients over large distances or to rural places with limited access to healthcare institutions, are well-suited to address this need. According to World Bank research, Asia-Pacific has some of the world's fastest-growing healthcare markets. According to the analysis, the Asia-Pacific healthcare industry is estimated to reach USD 10 trillion by 2030. Therefore, it is estimated that air ambulance in the Asia-Pacific has scope for growth in the global market.

Regional Analysis

The Asia-Pacific air ambulance services market is analyzed in China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. 

China is the highest contributor to the market and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period.

The demand for air ambulances in the Asia Pacific area is increasing as the economies of India and China develop, and governments in these countries make significant efforts to strengthen the healthcare sector. The tremendous growth of medical tourism in these nations, particularly India, is driving up demand for air ambulance services. The Asia Pacific region is heavily populated, with a substantial proportion of the population over 60 years old. It is characterized by low immunity and susceptibility to infections and chronic illnesses such as neurological malfunctions, spinal injuries, cancer, and heart ailments. According to WHO, chronic illnesses are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for 60% of all fatalities, followed by stroke. Cardiovascular disease is common in India and China. Chronic conditions such as strokes and cardiovascular disease necessitate an EMS, and air ambulances quickly respond in such cases. 

The growing frequency of road accidents and deaths in this region has raised the demand for speedier ambulance services. Various countries in the Asia-Pacific area are making attempts to introduce air ambulance services to increase critical patient survival rates. For example, the Tamil Nadu government announced in September 2020 the establishment of air ambulance facilities for the transportation of critical patients, including those injured in road accidents in remote locations, to healthcare centers within a 200–300-kilometer radius to increase their survival rates by providing medical care during the golden hour. The Civil Aviation Administration and the National Health Commission initiated a pilot project in April 2019 to provide air medical services to patients in severe conditions who require transfer from areas with limited medical resources.

Segmental Analysis

The Asia Pacific air ambulance services market is segmented based on type, application.

The market is further segmented by type into Rotary wing and fixed wing.

The rotary wing contributes a major market share and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period. Rotary-wing aircraft are largely helicopters, frequently used in medical transportation for short distances that must be completed quickly. As a result, helicopters are commonly employed in emergency response services worldwide. Their ability to land almost anywhere makes them handy when a ground ambulance struggles to reach the patient. Rotary-winged aircraft are disadvantaged when flying long distances due to their limited fuel capacity.

Fixed-wing aircraft have fixed wings and are powered by jet engines or propellers. Because they require regular recharging, they are more commonly used for long-distance travel. Fixed-wing aircraft are commonly used in the medical tourism business and for transporting critically ill patients to appropriate medical facilities for specialized care.

The market is further segmented into Hospital-based community-based by application.

Community-based holds a major market share and is expected to register a CAGR of 14.0% over the forecast period. Community-based operations are anticipated to account for a large percentage of the air ambulance sector since they are more aware of demand in their local environs. Most firms in the category are community-based or charity-run organizations that collect funds through local fundraisers. Members donating to the fundraising gain significant benefits through air medical transport services. Hospital-based services are air ambulances utilized by healthcare institutions to move patients, attend to emergency outside patients, and execute organ donation missions, among other things. They can be government-funded or private-hospital-funded services, with the cost of transportation reimbursed in addition to the patient's treatment costs. 

Hospital-based services have risen in popularity over the last decade. Still, they have recently learned that it is significantly more cost-efficient to contract a private air ambulance operator rather than invest in owning and maintaining aircraft.

Recent Developments

• March 2023- AMR announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to improve patient care. 
• March 2023- IAS Medical introduced a new telehealth platform allowing users to chat with a healthcare physician.
• March 2023- Rega announced the addition of two additional helicopters to its fleet. The new helicopters, Airbus H145s, will replace two older helicopters.