TÜRKİYE’S HEALTH TOURISM VISION

Türkiye’s vision for health tourism extends beyond patient treatment to encompass the development of a comprehensive health tourism ecosystem

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the global imperative to combat both individual and societal health challenges, emphasizing the criticality of international cooperation and unified action. Our country, with its rich history in healthcare, has emerged as a global leader, particularly over the past two decades. Especially due to its quality, reliable, ethical, and appropriate treatment options, our country has witnessed a significant increase in international patient mobility, establishing Türkiye as one of the world’s foremost destinations for health tourism.

The rapid evolution and transformation of health policies, economic incentives, high medical standards, patient satisfaction, and the prompt delivery of reliable healthcare services by both public and private sectors have undeniably been instrumental in achieving this success. As Türkiye, we are proud to highlight our successful position as one of the world’s foremost destinations, supported by our qualified human resources, advanced technological infrastructure, and strong institutional capacity. With 1,555 hospitals across the country, we demonstrate our commitment to providing exceptional healthcare services on a wide scale.

These hospitals collectively offer 264,969 beds, providing a ratio of 31.1 hospital beds per 10,000 inhabitants in Türkiye. Out of the total, there are 173,936 qualified beds and 48,617 intensive care beds available across the hospitals in Türkiye. Our country stands out not only as a top destination for patients from around the world but also as an increasingly recognized leader in health education. Our universities are becoming increasingly attractive to international students, particularly in the field of health education. Türkiye’s “Health Transformation Program” has yielded substantial expertise in health system design, hospital management, health informatics, establishment of quality and accreditation systems, as well as health architecture and construction.

With robust support and emphasis on accreditation by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Trade, efforts to ensure assurance and guarantee for individuals visiting the country for health tourism are ongoing. Complication insurance offers a crucial opportunity to our guests who come to Türkiye for healthcare services. Both ministries have made significant strides in promoting health services in Türkiye through portals such as “Health Türkiye” and “Heal in Türkiye”. In 2019, our country provided health services to 756,926 patients under health tourism, generating a tourism income of USD 1,459,132 thousand.

By 2023, the number of patients arriving for health services increased to 1,538,643, resulting in a revenue of USD 3,006,092 thousand. However, the global pandemic in 2020 led to a significant decrease in the number of health tourists visiting our country. During this period, 435,691 patients chose Türkiye for health services, contributing to tourism revenues amounting to USD 1,371,189 thousand. Despite the challenging period, health tourism rapidly recovered in 2021 and 2022, with 729,592 patients generating USD 2,016,262 thousand in revenue in 2021, and 1,381,807 patients generating USD 2,206,750 thousand in revenue in 2022.

The clinical branches most preferred by international patients include gynecology, internal medicine, ophthalmology, general surgery, dentistry, orthopedics and traumatology, infectious diseases, and ear-nose-throat specialties. This diversity underscores Türkiye’s extensive capacity in health tourism and its competitiveness on the global stage. Türkiye’s vision for health tourism extends beyond patient treatment to encompass the development of a comprehensive health tourism ecosystem.

We provide integrated services through our agencies, hotels, and other supporting service providers in the field of health tourism. In this context, guests coming to Türkiye not only receive healthcare services but also have the opportunity to experience the natural beauty, cultural richness, and hospitality of our country.