In addition to the hospitals opened in recent months, with its export of masks, hospital beds, respiratory equipment, testing kits, and other medical devices, Istanbul is turning into the medical base of the Afro-Eurasian zone. On account of such investments, Turkey aims to become one of the top three global healthcare tourism countries.

TURKEY made its mark in the health tourism with the recent investments and hosted 1.5 million tourists seeking a cure. The amount spent by these tourists reached $6 billion.

PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE

According to the Ministry of Health records, per capita expenditure of the tourists preferring Turkey for medical services reaches $6-9 thousand. In contrast, the average revenues received from the tourists choosing Turkey for vacation and entertainment remain at the level of $650-1000. The figure expected by the Ministry of Health for the year 2023 is a yearly health tourism revenue of $10 billion.

FROM ALL CORNERS OF THE WORLD

Health tourism is on the top of the list of main driving forces capable of boosting tourism among the sectors affected most by the Coronavirus pandemic. The first mobilization during the pandemic was launched upon the circular dated May 20, issued by the Ministry of Health, enabling the acceptance of patients from 31 countries. Following this development, the provision envisaging the limit of 31 countries was removed. Thus, tourists seeking a cure from all the corners of the world started to be welcomed to Turkey.

HOW WILL THE TOURISTS ARRIVE TO THE COUNTRY?

Tourists passing the approval procedures shall be able to arrive in our country, by land, air or sea. Patients and their companions will be tested for Covid-19 with PCR swab tests for a fee at the airports, and border gates or samples will be taken for PCR tests. The border gates accepting the tourists arriving for medical services are as follows:

By air: Istanbul, Istanbul Atatürk, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Ankara Esenboğa, Antalya, Izmir Adnan Menderes, Adana Hava Limanları.

By land: Kapıkule, Sarp, and Habur border gates.

By sea: Mersin Taşucu Port, Karasu Port.

OBLIGATION TO REGISTER TO THE SYSTEM

Specific requirements have to be fulfilled for the acceptance of the tourists as patients during the pandemic. Initially, the patients and their companions selecting our country within the scope of international health tourism are registered into the patient health monitoring system of the International Health Services Inc. (USHAŞ). In line with the rules on the system's utilization, these patients primarily create a 'user account' on the website of USHAŞ. These accounts will be created under the form of four different categories: The patient, companion, hospital, and intermediary institutions.

MAXIMUM TWO COMPANIONS ARE ALLOWED

The user accounts of the intermediary institutions and hospitals are activated upon the approval of USHAŞ after the execution of required controls. A maximum of two companions can be registered with the patient. The system prevents the overlapping registries when an account has been created (with a passport or ID number).

INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION

The hospitals that shall welcome the patients and their companies are obliged to have the International Health Tourism Authorization Certificate issued by the Ministry of Health. The license and official authorization will include the branches regarding the illnesses to be diagnosed and treated as part of the international health tourism. These hospitals are obliged to allocate an independent floor or a corridor or an independent service to the foreign patients in the country for health tourism to prevent contact with other patients or companions.

500 THOUSAND HAIR TRANSPLANTATION PROCEDURES 

According to the sector representatives, the cost of the hair transplantation operations in Turkey varies from  €800 to  €1000. As for the reconstructive surgery, the prices start from  €2 thousand and 500. Every year, 500 thousand hair transplantation procedures and 100 thousand plastic operations are being executed in Turkey. The majority of tourists arrive in Turkey through travel agencies, and their hotel and city tours are included in their payments. Tourists traveling to Turkey for plastic surgery remain in the country 5-7 days on average. On the other hand, foreign tourists choosing Turkey for hair transplantation procedures stay in the country for at least 2-3 days.

NEW TARGET: TOP 3

In 2019, Turkey ranked 4th in the global list on health tourism, and India at the top of the list was Turkey's then most significant competitor. Malaysia ranked 2nd, and Thailand ranked 3rd in health tourism, and Mexico, as the 5th country in the list, followed Turkey. Turkey is planned to be rendered one of the top three countries in the world in this area with the help of its modern pandemic hospitals built on the Anatolian and European coasts of Istanbul. These new hospitals' airports are considered as prominent advantages.

RECOVERY WITH A 4 HOURS’ FLIGHT

Turkey enjoys a significant geographical position that attracts nearly 1 billion people and 57 countries within the distance of a 4-hours' flight. Moreover, on account of the Turkish Airlines that serves the most destinations (120 countries, 299 cities, and 302 airports) and its accessibility, Turkey is considered as the ideal location for health tourism. In addition to its healthcare facilities, physicians and top-level and qualified human resources, country's advantages such as its geographical position, seasonal benefits, high-quality medical services, technological and medical equipment in world standards, affordable prices (especially compared to the prices in Europe), its thermal springs that remain at the top in the global lists, render Turkey one of the most preferred countries in health tourism. In particular, Istanbul is expected to be more competitive thanks to its new pandemic hospitals containing airports.

COUNTRIES RECEIVING MEDICAL SERVICES FROM TURKEY

(First half of 2019)

• Syria
• Iraq
• Azerbaijan
• Georgia
• Uzbekistan
• Turkmenistan
• Afghanistan
• Russia
• Germany
• Libya
   

MOSTLY PREFERRED BRANCHES

• Reconstructive surgery/hair transplantation
• Heart surgery
• Orthopedics
• Oncology
• IVF treatment