The Collapse in Tourism during the Pandemic: Expectations and Opportunities for the Health Tourism

Abstract

Although it is defined within the tourism sector, health tourism, as an important function of the health sector, showing a rising trend for Turkey, indicates a serious economic development in recent years. Steps on legislative arrangements, infrastructural works and strategy determination have been completed in this area and a serious momentum has been shaped within the framework of sectoral incentives. In this study, the expectations, sectoral risks and opportunities of the health sector for health tourism after the pandemic are analyzed. There are also evaluations on increasing the share of health tourism income and sustainable health tourism policy of Turkey that has strong health education, qualified infrastructure and experienced healthcare staff. Health tourism, in which the insurance system also interacts within the framework of national and international regulations and international agreements, constitutes an important sectoral share in the economy along with the logistics peripheral service areas. At the same time, the effects of the successful fighting process against to COVID-19 on health tourism are analyzed. In this regard, an evaluation on the contributions and shares of state and private sector is also made.