Segment-Based Development of Tourism in Türkiye: A Long-Term Assessment with a Focus on Health Tourism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18094556Keywords:
Health tourism, travel motivation, tourism income, tourism performance.Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to examine the development dynamics of Turkey’s health tourism sector by analyzing purpose-of-travel–based tourist expenditure data for the period 2014–2024 in conjunction with global tourism statistics. The primary objective is to identify how visits motivated by health and medical needs have evolved compared to other travel categories.
Method: The research employs a secondary data analysis approach. Per-capita tourism expenditure figures from the Turkish Statistical Institute and international tourism databases were evaluated. Tourist spending by travel purpose between 2014 and 2024 was compared, and global trends in tourist arrivals and tourism revenues for the 2016–2024 period were analyzed to contextualize Turkey’s health tourism performance within broader international developments.
Findings: The results indicate a notable rise in spending among visitors traveling to Turkey for health and medical reasons, increasing from USD 2,153 in 2014 to USD 2,620 in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 1.98%. Education-related travel showed a 44.79% increase, while the “other” category rose by 47.68%. In contrast, expenditures associated with shopping, visiting friends and relatives, and business travel declined over the same period. Despite the sharp global contraction during the pandemic, international tourism rebounded significantly in 2024, reaching 1.735 billion arrivals and USD 1.470 trillion in revenue.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that health tourism remains Turkey’s most resilient and highest-performing travel category. The increasing demand for medical travel strengthens Turkey’s competitive position and highlights the strategic importance of the health tourism sector. Accordingly, policy initiatives and investment strategies aimed at supporting and expanding this field should be prioritized.
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