By Mertkan Oruc
Türkiye ranked seventh worldwide in health tourism with its many internationally recognized health institutions, as the sector generated a revenue of $2.3 billion in 2023, according to data released by the Trade Ministry on Monday.
The “Heal in Türkiye” internet portal, which was launched with the support of the ministry and is the face of Türkiye’s health tourism sector, includes 175 institutions operating in the sector and applications to take part in the portal are increasing day by day.
A statement released on the portal stated that Türkiye ranked seventh worldwide in health tourism thanks to its many accredited health institutions.
A revenue of $1.9 billion was generated from health service exports in 2022, and this figure rose to $2.3 billion in 2023, as 1.4 million health tourists entered the country.
The Trade Ministry provided to health services firms $22.8 million in funding to support their operations, as they take steps towards the goal of becoming a global center of health tourism, according to the statement.
Most of the health tourists came from Germany, the UK, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, the statement added.
*Writing by Emir Yildirim in Istanbul