Turkey among 10 countries in terms of receiving highest number of patients for medical tourism
Turkey is one of the top 10 countries in terms of receiving the most patients for medical tourism. A member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB) stated that Turkey has entered the top 10 rankings of countries that receive the most patients worldwide.
The same member emphasized the importance of health tourism development in Turkey, stating, “We are undertaking significant efforts with our TÜRSAB Specialty Presidency to enhance our work in this field within the framework of the ‘Turkey’s Century’ perspective.”
The member further highlighted that health tourism worldwide was categorized into three main areas: medical, thermal, and elderly-disabled tourism. “We are talking about an increasing trend,” and attributed Turkey’s rise in health tourism to factors such as the growing number of hospitals, medical centers, equipped doctors, healthcare staff, and travel agencies, alongside Turkey’s tourism infrastructure. They mentioned that Turkey ranks among the top countries for receiving patients in the field of health tourism, alongside Mexico, India, Thailand, Brazil, and Singapore.
Regarding the development of the sector, the member stated that TÜRSAB was actively engaged in collaborative efforts with all public institutions and organizations operating in this field, particularly emphasizing cooperation with the International Health Services Inc. (USHAŞ) management.
Furthermore, the member listed 29 countries as targets for their efforts, including various European, Middle Eastern, and African nations.
Regarding revenue, it was noted that Turkey’s revenue from health tourism has shown steady growth over the past five years, except for a setback in 2020 due to the pandemic. According to TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data, health tourism revenue increased from $1.49 billion in 2019 to $2.3 billion in 2023. Despite this positive trend, there is recognition that there is still much potential for growth, and TÜRSAB continues its efforts to capitalize on this potential.
