The field of medical tourism in Turkey aims to increase its share in the $100 billion global market from the current 4 percent to 10 percent. According to Servet Trzeler, President of the Turkish Medical Tourism Association.
The field has quickly recovered from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, But the earthquakes in February were a blow to the sector.
Reservations have been cancelled, The hotels in Istanbul were empty. Medical tourism revenues declined to about $1.4 billion in the first half of 2023. According to Trzeller.
“We hope to achieve at least $2.6 billion in revenue during the rest of the year and close the year with total revenue of $4 billion,” Terzeler said, Adding that the export revenue target for 2025 is set at $10 billion.
He pointed out that the size of the global medical tourism sector reached $100 billion. While Türkiye’s share in this market is about 4 percent. “We are making investments to increase our global market share to 10 percent.”
The number of health tourists who visited Türkiye was about 300,000 10 years ago. But it reached 1.26 million in 2022, As Trzeler pointed out. “This number continues to rise in 2023 with visitors increasing 24 percent in the first half to 746,290.”
Foreign visitors’ health spending also increased by about 9 percent from January to June to exceed $1 billion, According to Trzeller.
“About 70 percent of visitors are from Europe, While people from Arab countries make up 30 percent. The US and Canadian markets are growing. We even have patients from Australia.”
Istanbul, Trzeler said. Which attracts most health tourists, It has the potential to become the center of global medical tourism. “Antalya and Izmir are also on their way to becoming important destinations for medical tourism.”
Frequently asked questions
What are Türkiye’s plans to increase its share in the global medical tourism market?
Turkey seeks to increase its share in the global market from 4 percent to 10 percent over the coming years. It intends to achieve export revenues worth $10 billion by 2025.
How many health tourists visited Türkiye in 2022?
About 1.26 million health tourists visited Türkiye in 2022, This number is expected to increase in 2023 by 24 percent.
Where do the majority of health visitors come from?
About 70 percent of visitors come from Europe, While the Arab countries constitute 30 percent, The US and Canadian markets are experiencing significant growth.
What are the challenges facing the therapeutic field in Turkey in the first half of 2023?
The area was affected by the repercussions of the February earthquakes. It led to the cancellation of reservations and a decline in tourism revenues to $1.4 billion during this period.
What are the expectations for the size of the field in the future?
Türkiye expects to achieve revenues of $4 billion at the end of 2023. It aims to increase its global market share to 10 percent in the long term.
