Turkey is gaining popularity as a must-visit medical tourism destination with 500.000 international travellers being served in 2017.
July 5, Moscow – Turkey is gaining popularity as a must-visit medical tourism destination with 500.000 international travellers being served in 2017. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health of Turkey, Russia is occupying the 4th place based on the volume of Russian patients registered.
Throughout the years Turkey had always been one of the most admirable countries picked by Russian travellers for a vacation thanks to its cultural, historic and natural advantages. However, since recently Russians began to identify other opportunities that the country has to offer.
Turkey is now considered as one of the top 10 medical tourism destinations in the world, along with U.S. and Germany. This position is determined by country’s easily accessible location, high quality of medical care and affordable prices. Moreover, some of its hospitals have obtained international accreditations with 46 entities being JCI accredited. Thanks to developing technology in Turkey’s health sector and establishment of cutting-edge medical facilities, the country has turned into a medical hub for tourists from all around the world, in past years.
Turkey’s medical centers offer a wide range of treatment options and specialize, in particular, in plastic and eye surgery as well as dental treatment and hair transplantation alongside with many other medical areas. According to the data provided by the Ministry of Health international patients mostly attend gynecology and obstetrics, eye diseases, orthopedics, traumatology and otorhinolaryngology departments. For instance, ophthalmic surgery which is considered among the most expensive health services around the world is very demanded from foreign patients. Due to relatively affordable prices if compared with many other countries Turkey grants access to this kind of medical treatment to wider groups of people who can’t afford expensive procedures elsewhere.
Since more than a decade ago, in 2003, Turkish Government launched an ambitious healthcare reform aiming at providing modern universal health coverage and dramatically improving the quality of services. Health tourism support belonged to the incentives of the program. This industry was encouraged inter alia by means of VAT exemption issued for foreigners consuming medical services in Turkey. As a result, in 2017, Turkey saw a 31 percent increase in health tourism figures, according to TIM’s data. Recently, World Bank has called national health reform as “one of the big success stories of health reform internationally”.
“Turkey steadily strengthens its position as an innovation hub in connection to various industries. Its popularity as a high-grade medical center proves that all the new developments introduced were successfully adopted leading to a high demand in medical tourism ranging from preventive and health-conductive treatment to rehabilitation forms of travel”, – commented H. Bader Arslan, TIM’s General Secretary. “The impressive results achieved and positive dynamics seen prove the viability of healthcare reform and the importance of its continuation continuing the reform”.
Turkish Exporters Assembly – professional organization representing the interests of Turkish exporters domestically and internally. Established in 1993 and uniting 67 000 companies. The Assembly conducts studies, releases reports, provides consultancy and renders assistance to the exporters in their foreign economic activities.
