Medical Tourism in Turkey and Around the World: The Convergence of Health, Economy and Culture
Chapter from the book:
Bayram,
A.
T.
(ed.)
2023.
Researches on Tourism.
Synopsis
Medical tourism is a growing and increasingly popular industry worldwide. In order for medical tourism to occur, individuals must travel to another country to receive healthcare services. These services can cover a wide range of areas, including medical treatment, dental care, cosmetic surgery, and more. This type of tourism is influenced by a variety of factors, including low costs, shorter wait times, access to specialized treatments, the desire for privacy, cultural advantages, and exoticism. The growing popularity of medical tourism is due in part to the fact that developing countries offer lower-cost healthcare services than developed countries. Additionally, developing countries do not experience the long wait times and inadequate healthcare services that are common in developed countries. As a result, developing countries have become attractive destinations for medical tourists. Medical tourism is an important economic opportunity for both tourists and host countries. Tourists can access high-quality healthcare services at a more affordable price, while host countries can boost their economies by generating revenue from the healthcare sector. Turkey has significant potential for medical tourism. The country has a number of advantages that make it an attractive destination for medical tourists, including a developed healthcare infrastructure, affordable healthcare services, and experienced healthcare personnel. These advantages have helped Turkey to become a major destination for medical tourism. In the following section, the status of medical tourism in Turkey and the world will be discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages of medical tourism will be presented.