It is no secret that Türkiye is one of the few countries that has solved its healthcare system. The entire system is based on the collaboration of private and state medical centres in sharing patient load. This has improved to a great extent post-operative success rates and working conditions for clinics, state and private alike. With the start of the 21st century, the integration of healthcare services began to give promising results. This was when Turkish medical centres began to attract the attention of foreign visitors. Queue-free services, competitive prices and remarkable satisfaction rates of Turkish medical centres played an important role in making Türkiye a highly appealing destination in health tourism. Today, Turkish hospitals are serving tens of thousands of foreign patients every year and this number is still growing.
Turkish medical centres offer highly competitive prices compared to their European counterparts. This is partly because the exchange rate difference between Turkish lira and foreign currencies while the main reason remains to be the low service costs. In addition, the large number of satisfied patients brings out gain on demand for Turkish clinics and helps them keep their prices at reasonable amounts. Also, another reason behind the low prices in Türkiye is the unambitious taxation the Turkish state lays on these clinics to promote health tourism.
The increasing demand for Turkish medical services has also forced the state to create new regulations to organise, control, and regulate health tourism in Türkiye. Since 2005, the Turkish Parliament has legalised a list of bills and regulations to improve and manage healthcare services provided for foreign patients. To this end, patient safety, rights, and demands have been put to the frontline. Through several governing bodies, Türkiye now has an impressive body of health tourism management and control system that protects rights and health of foreign patients.
We could write paragraphs about Türkiye's crystal clear waters, beaches that stretch out for miles, magical cultural heritage, stunningly delicious and diverse cuisine, vibrant night life, splendid scenery... but you possibly know that already. Whether you are looking for a ride on a yacht along the Bosphorus or a peaceful walk through the streets of ancient Ephesus, Türkiye has a lot to offer as far as holiday plans are concerned.
Almost all patients visiting Türkiye for medical or aesthetic treatment usually take this chance to experience the holiday resorts and beautiful sights the country offers. As a country highly experienced in tourism, Türkiye is a great destination that has all the potential to combine the two key words of this section, "health" and "tourism."