The head of the “Federation of Medical Tourism Associations” in Turkey, Tawfiq Yazan, expected an increase in medical tourism revenues in the country, at a rate of 25 to 30 percent in 2023.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, Yazan said, “The number of travelers hosted by Turkey for medical purposes has witnessed a remarkable increase, despite the negatives in the world.”
He pointed to the increase in foreign exchange flow to Turkey from medical tourism in recent years.
He added: “1.7 billion dollars in foreign exchange flows were provided through 670 thousand tourists in 2021, while these numbers rose to one million and 280 thousand tourists and two billion dollars in 2022.”
And he stated that the ceiling of the goals regarding the number of tourists had been raised, stressing that “Turkey can obtain a larger share of the market cake for medical tourism services.”
He stated that “Turkey is on a stable path with regard to medical tourism, despite negative aspects such as economic turmoil and natural disasters,” pointing out that “this is due to the fact that those seeking treatment in Turkey are looking for reliability as well as reasonable prices.”
An advanced position in medical tourism
The spokesman explained, “Turkey has become one of the first 3 or 4 countries in hair transplantation, branches of surgery, plastic surgery, tumor treatments, eyes, teeth, infertility, and IVF.”
He continued, “The reliability of the health service provided in accordance with high standards and the low cost have brought us to this success.”
And he added, “Turkey offers additional benefits with the health service. For example, people and their relatives engage in additional tourism activities during the treatment period. The sea, the sun, historical and cultural buildings, and the diversity of cuisine are just a few of these additional benefits for our country.”
He noted the popularity of medical tourism in Turkey in the countries of the Middle East and Europe, especially Germany, Britain and the Netherlands, adding: “They mostly come for hair transplantation, dental treatment, eyes, and cosmetic surgery.”
And he expected: “An increase of at least 25 to 30 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year in terms of the number of patients and medical tourism revenues.”
Istanbul and Antalya
A member of the Board of Directors of the “Confederation of Hotel Operators” in Turkey, Burhan Celi, said that his country “has witnessed a serious demand in the field of medical tourism from countries close in terms of flight distance.”
He added in an interview with Anadolu Agency: “Britain, Russia and the Middle East are some of these markets. What we care about is diversifying our products, attracting high-value-added tourists and extending the tourism season.”
He stated that “the tourism season, which is confined to between 5 to 6 months, will extend over time to reach 8 or 9 months, with the entry of culture, sports and other fields into the field of tourism.”
He announced that Istanbul and Antalya are among the cities that have witnessed a boom in the health field in the country.
He explained that people coming to Istanbul and Antalya “can meet their health-related needs, such as hair transplantation, dental treatment and cosmetics, in addition to spending a special vacation.”
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