Istanbul sees some 399,000 health tourists in 10 months

Around 399,000 tourists have visited Istanbul in the past 10 months for health tourism, according to an official report.

"During this time period, we rendered 700,000 services in the city as part of health tourism. Everyone is satisfied with the excellent academic services we offer in Istanbul," Associate Professor Abdullah Emre Güner, the province public health director, told state-run Anadolu Agency.

Scores of people from 201 distinct countries paid a visit to Istanbul for health tourism during this 10-month period, including Europe, the Turkic States and the Middle East, Güner noted, adding that visitors from Europe make up the majority.

Güner attributed this excessive interest to both the country and Istanbul's providing top-notch medical tourism services, highlighting that they support the Turkish economy in this way.

He noted that a large number of foreign patients travel to Istanbul for various reasons in this sense. "Istanbul provides a comprehensive range of medical treatments, namely in the fields of orthopedics, cardiology, oncology, ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, oral and dental health, dermatology and plastic, reconstructive and cosmetic surgery."

Güner stressed that Türkiye's share in the industry of health tourism keeps expanding on a daily basis as a result, reaffirming its significant effect on the country's economy. "We continue to work as the Health Ministry to uphold a high standard of quality and inspection mechanisms."

Istanbul features 227 hospitals in total, comprising 16 university hospitals, 158 private hospitals and 53 state hospitals, Güner noted.

As a final note, he highlighted that their objective is to eventually increase their present market share to reach $100 billion.