Shareholders in the health tourism sector from Türkiye and Arab nations converged in Istanbul this Wednesday for a two-day inaugural industry expo, according to local media reports.
Organized by the Turkish-Arab Countries Business Association (TÜRAP), with the support of the Turkish Trade Ministry, the first Expo Health Tourism Fair in the bustling metropolis seeks to boost international cooperation in the industry and improve Türkiye's health care sector infrastructure.
Addressing the event, TÜRAP's chairperson, Sabuhi Attar, highlighted the crucial need for enhanced cooperation between Türkiye and Arab countries. He underscored the pivotal role of the health sector in fostering collaboration, noting that Türkiye holds a preeminent position as a leader in the field.
Delving into the statistics, Attar revealed that in 2021, around 770,000 tourists availed of health services in Türkiye, a number that surged to 1.2 million in the past year. Anticipating further growth, he projected the figure to surge to 1.8 million in 2023.
Ahmed ElSobky, Egypt's deputy minister of health and population, accentuated the historical ties between Türkiye and Arab nations.
Türkiye has a significant position in the health sector and serves as a model for Arab countries, he said.
Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Serdar Çam, for his part, noted that "in spite of the recent pandemic, Türkiye, particularly through implementing secure health certification programs and additional health measures, swiftly overcame the challenges of the tourism sector alongside the health sector, becoming the leading country in Europe.”
Recalling that the country obtained around $43 billion in tourism revenues last year, Çam expressed his optimism and said, "This year, we expect tourism revenue to reach $57 billion."
