Managers of private health institutions in TRNC attended the International Online Health Tourist Guidance System “Map2heal” training. Delivering the opening speech, Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu stated that the Government supports Health Tourism by taking the necessary steps
According to the statement made by the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, under the auspices of the TRNC Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism and Environment, with the organization of the Health Tourism Council, a training program was organized for the managers of private health institutions accredited by the online health tourist guidance system “Map2heal” a while ago in order for Northern Cyprus to receive health tourists from 87 countries.
The training, which took place at the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce and started with the opening speeches of Fikri Ataoğlu, Minister of Tourism and Environment, and Ahmet Savaşan, President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, was given by Prof. Dr. Tayfun Aybek, founder and CEO of Map2heal, and Yunus Gürkan, Secretary General of the Turkish Health Tourism Council and Chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the World Health Tourism Council.
The training was attended by Dr. Remzi Gardiyanoğlu, President of the Association of Self-Employed Physicians, Dr. Hayat İzel, President of the Private Hospitals Association, as well as 15 managers of private institutions operating in the field of health in the TRNC.
ATAOĞLU “OUR AIM IS TO DEVELOP HEALTH TOURISM”
Minister of Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu, who started his speech by emphasizing the importance of bringing alternative tourism types to the country for the sustainable development of tourism in Northern Cyprus, noted that their aim is to develop tourism types such as culture, sports, especially health, while optimizing mass tourism revenues.
“THE GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTS HEALTH TOURISM”
Stating that the Health Tourism Council as well as all other stakeholders have made a significant contribution to the development of Health Tourism, Ataoğlu said, “There is a serious effort for the development of this field. Our government takes the necessary steps and supports Health Tourism.” Stating that the acceptance of TRNC as the 54th member country of the World Health Tourism Council has created the opportunity for Northern Cyprus to act together with the leading players in this field, Ataoğlu underlined that thanks to this membership, Northern Cyprus has started to receive more health tourists than many countries of the world.
“NORTHERN CYPRUS WILL TURN INTO AN ISLAND OF HEALTH”
Stating that the importance of the acceptance of Northern Cyprus to international platforms is much better understood considering the stage reached in the Cyprus issue, Ataoğlu expressed his belief that Northern Cyprus can turn into an island of health thanks to these steps taken and thanked Founding Presidents Emin Çakmak and Ahmet Savaşan for their contributions.
WARRIOR “TODAY, VACATION AND HEALTH ARE ASSOCIATED”
Stating that the ever-developing modern man demands both to protect and improve his health and to access the latest and most effective treatments, Council President Ahmet Savaşan said in his speech that today's people associate vacation with health and adopt a holistic health approach.
“OUR AIM IS TO BRING A SPECIAL ONLINE SYSTEM TO KKTC”
Stating that Health Tourism is developing very rapidly in the world and in our country, Savaşan pointed out that the reason for this is that people today want to access all new scientific and technological developments in modern medicine, especially with the development of technology and the ease of access to information, not only for treatment purposes but also for beauty and “anti-aging”.
Stating that the Cyprus Health Tourism Council attaches great importance to the Map2heal project based on these facts, Savaşan said that their aim is to develop an online health tourist admission system specific to the TRNC and added that “our council will continue to work with all its strength to transform our country into an island of healthy life”.
“TURKEY'S SUPPORT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE”
Emphasizing that Northern Cyprus has a very important potential in areas such as medical tourism and wellness, especially in the third age, Yunus Gürkan, Secretary General of the Turkish Health Tourism Development Council (THTC) underlined that “the support they provide will continue to increase in order for Northern Cyprus to get the share it deserves from the World Health Tourism market together with Turkey.
AYBEK “THE SYSTEM IS USED IN 161 OFFICES AROUND THE WORLD”
Prof. Dr. Tayfun Aybek stated that Map2heal, which is an international software, is a very detailed health tourism platform. Prof. Dr. Tayfun Aybek said that the system, which supports in 17 languages, gives local and foreign people the opportunity to communicate at a high level with the health professional they are looking for by making them feel ‘at home’ and added that the system, which is used by 161 network offices from 87 countries, will be used by two thousand network offices within six months.
