The steady growth and interest in health care services in Türkiye earned the country some $761.5 million in revenue in the first quarter of the year, the head of a leading association said on Wednesday, noting that it welcomes health tourists from nearly 180 countries.
Türkiye has emerged as one of the most preferred destinations for international patients, welcoming health tourists from Europe, the Middle East, the Balkans, Turkic republics and North Africa, among many other regions.
The country offers services across a wide range of medical specialties, including aesthetic and plastic surgery, hair transplantation, dental treatments, ophthalmology, orthopedics and traumatology, cardiology and oncology.
Mustafa Eröğüt, board member of the Service Exporters' Association (HIB) and chairperson of its Health Care Services Committee, told Anadolu Agency (AA) in remarks published on Wednesday that Türkiye has demonstrated steady growth in health tourism in recent years.
"In 2025, the number of people visiting our country to receive health care services reached 1,398,580, while revenue generated from health tourism totaled $3.022 billion," he said.
Eröğüt also noted that the positive momentum has continued this year.
"In the first quarter alone, 302,487 international patients received health care services in Türkiye, generating $761.5 million in health tourism revenue."
"More importantly, average health tourism revenue per patient increased by around 39% compared with the same period last year, showing that Türkiye is evolving into a destination that not only attracts more patients but also generates higher value-added healthcare services," he maintained.
He emphasized that the sector prioritizes quality-driven growth as much as patient numbers, adding that the strong increase in per-patient revenue reflects growing global demand for Türkiye's advanced health care infrastructure, internationally accredited medical institutions and highly qualified health care professionals.
Eröğüt said the country's goal is to further strengthen Türkiye's competitiveness in international health care services by increasing the number of foreign patients and boosting health care service exports.
"We welcome health tourists from approximately 180 countries, particularly from Europe, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Turkic republics and North Africa. Germany, the United Kingdom, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Russia, Libya and the Gulf countries remain among our largest source markets," he said.
"At the same time, we have observed a notable increase in demand from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries in recent years," he added.
He also noted that the sector aims not only to expand in existing markets but also to establish a lasting presence in new ones.
"In this context, sub-Saharan Africa, the Gulf region, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and North America offer significant potential. Through our promotional efforts, we are focused on strengthening Türkiye's brand recognition in global health tourism," he said.
Eröğüt pointed out that one of Türkiye's greatest strengths is its ability to provide world-class health care across a broad range of specialties.
"The areas attracting the greatest interest from international patients include aesthetic and plastic surgery, hair transplantation, dental treatments, eye care, orthopedics and traumatology, cardiology, oncology, IVF treatments and bariatric surgery," he explained.
He also noted that Türkiye ranks among the world's leading health tourism destinations, with more than 1,500 health care institutions across over 40 cities, including hundreds of internationally accredited medical centers.
According to Eröğüt, international patients are drawn to Türkiye because of its high clinical success rates, advanced medical technology, experienced physicians and treatment costs that are between 40% and 70% lower than in Europe.
Still, he said that their goal is to position Türkiye "not only as a cost-effective destination but as a globally recognized health care brand distinguished by reliability, quality, advanced technology and patient satisfaction."
Eröğüt also emphasized that effectively combating unregistered operators is essential to protecting Türkiye's international reputation in health tourism.
Finally, he advised international patients to ensure that the health care provider or intermediary agency they choose is officially authorized, to secure all treatment services through written contracts, and to avoid unregistered intermediaries that operate solely through social media.
