President of the Health Tourism Council Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Savaşan came together with the officials of the Foreign Promotion Office of the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and evaluated the steps that can be taken to increase the share of Northern Cyprus in Health Tourism and increase tourism revenues.
According to the statement made by the Council; At the meeting, which was chaired by Fikri Ataoğlu, Minister of Tourism and Environment, it was stated that there was a consensus that increasing tourism revenues could be a lifeline to get out of the economic crisis in the country.
In the statement, while the activities in the existing mass tourism and other tourism areas continue, if the necessary steps are taken in the fields of Health and Sports Tourism with high added value, the tourism revenues, which are around 700 million USD, can be quadrupled in a short time. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Savaşan, President of the Council, stated that they had a very productive meeting with the officials of the foreign promotion office on target markets and competitive advantages.
Underlining that the ministry and the sector agree that Northern Cyprus has significant potential in areas such as medical, spa, wellness, gastronomy and healthy nutrition, sports and advanced active life tourism, Savaşan said that a principle decision was taken to increase cooperation between the council and foreign promotion offices to promote these areas.
“Health Tourism should be encouraged like in Turkey”
Emphasizing that the state should really support, encourage and supervise this field as soon as possible as in Turkey, Council President Ahmet Savaşan pointed out that the Ministry of Transport should take the initiative to extend the practices of THY to the TRNC.
Stating that 30 million people travel outside their countries for health, Savaşan said, “The money spent on health tourism has exceeded 500 billion dollars. This corresponds to 15 thousand dollars per person. For Northern Cyprus, 1.5 billion people living within a four to five hour flight distance have a great potential for health and sports tourism. In order for these areas to achieve a sustainable structure, it is extremely important that all stakeholders, especially the sector, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Ministry of Health, work in coordination. As the Council, we are ready to work, produce and cooperate more.”.
All foreign representatives attended the meeting
At the end of the statement, it was stated that Minister Ataoğlu, Council President Ahmet Savaşan, Ministry of Tourism and Environment Overseas Tourism Offices Branch Chief Cansev Yeşilada, London Tourism Promotion Office Coordinator Kadir Doruhan, Berlin Tourism Promotion Office Coordinators Önal Dorak and Emrah Günen, Istanbul Tourism Promotion Office Coordinator Özge Palamutcu, Antalya Tourism Promotion Office Coordinator Nazmi Pınar and Mersin Tourism Promotion Office representative Kazım Türkkan attended the meeting.
