Turkey expects growth in health tourism from Gulf states

Right: Yalova, Turkey

TURKEY:
Despite the world’s financial crisis, which had a severe effect on the international tourism sector, the number of Gulf states tourists selecting Turkey as a destination has increased in 2009 by 16.45%. 27m tourists from around the world visited Turkey during 2009. Out of the entire world, Arab tourists have made the biggest increases, led by Kuwait, and followed in order by United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Turkish tourist authorities are running advertising and promotional campaigns in the Arab world for 2010.These will focus on introducing and marketing Turkey as a health and medical tourism destination. Turkey has a reputation of being one of the countries that has advanced medical services with relatively reasonable rates and the ability to carry out complex medical operations such as open-heart surgery.

The Turkish Government has recently offered a number of investment opportunities and facilities to invest in the medical and health tourism sector for both Turkish and foreign investors where they can build health and spas near natural and thermal springs. According to official statistics, over 200 health and spa centers will be built as per this plan. Afyon City has five resorts by mineral springs and has been selected as a model city and future capital for mineral springs’ tourism.

A new government long-term plan from 2010 to 2023, aims to sustain health and medical tourism in order to make best use of the unique natural wealth that the country has. The government wants to attract more Arab tourists, particularly as a health and medical destination. The cultural and geographical closeness to these countries means these tourists prefer to come to a country that appreciates the Islamic culture. Favourite cities are Istanbul, Yalova, Bursa, Bodrum, and Antalya.