ANTALYA - Turkey is showcasing a rapidly ascending graph in the health tourism sector. According to data from the International Health Services Joint-Stock Company (USHAŞ), established by the Ministry of Health on February 4, 2019, the number of people visiting Turkey for medical services has been consistently increasing over recent years.
In 2019, 701,046 patients came to Turkey for medical care, bringing a revenue of 1 billion 492 million 438 thousand dollars to the country. However, in 2020, due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant decrease in the number of health tourists, with only 407,423 people choosing Turkey. This decline was reflected in the revenues, which fell to 1 billion 164 million 779 thousand dollars in 2020.
A recovery began in 2021, with 670,730 patients visiting Turkey. The income recorded for that year stood at 1 billion 726 million 973 thousand dollars. In 2022, up until October, 876,521 individuals chose Turkey for medical services, resulting in a revenue of 1 billion 603 million 478 thousand dollars.
From February 2019 to October of this year, a total of 2,655,720 people opted for health tourism in Turkey. During this period, the total revenue reached 5 billion 987 million 668 thousand dollars.
In health tourism, gynecology is the most preferred medical branch. Internal medicine, ophthalmology, medical biochemistry, general surgery, and dentistry are also among the most sought-after specialties by international patients.
The quality of Turkey's health services and its affordable pricing policy play a significant role in attracting international patients to choose Turkey.