Health tourism has been a surging trend in recent years in both the world and Turkey and is an important alternative tourism branch.

It is described as traveling to another country for any treatment to recover health. Even if it is done for treatment, it is called “health tourism”. It should not be considered as a travel to be spent just in the hospitals.

Tourism proposing healthy activities can be thought as health tourism. However, it is considered as under 3 main titles:

1. Medical tourism (treatment, surgery etc. in the hospital)
2. Thermal tourism (rehabilitation and rest in thermal centers)
3. Geriatric and disabled tourism (treatment centers, long-term accommodation and social activities in tablelands)

Why do people need health tourism?

1. Because their access to high technology health services and professionals is limited or none in their country,
2. Because the health services are expensive in their country,
3. They want to make use of the better health services,
4. They do not want their treatment to be heard in their country (as in aesthetic surgery, infertility treatment etc.)
5. Especially chronic patients, old and disabled peoples do want to be in a different atmosphere and have their treatment there,
6. People with substance abuse want to change their atmosphere,
7. People’s will to hold on to life.
8. They would have opportunity to have a holiday as well,
9. They have limited tourism opportunities in terms of climate and geography in their country. Therefore, people would like to visit the countries with green lands, tablelands, historical and cultural wealth, thermal facilities and other opportunities.