{"id":19886,"date":"2015-05-21T07:56:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-21T07:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahmetsavasan.com\/?p=19886"},"modified":"2025-08-18T07:57:43","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T07:57:43","slug":"turizmde-tarihi-adim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahmetsavasan.com\/en\/turizmde-tarihi-adim\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic step in tourism"},"content":{"rendered":"

A historic step was taken in tourism. TRNC became the 54th member country of the World Health Tourism Council. Ahmet Sava\u015fan, Founding President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, said, \u201cThe Cyprus Health Tourism Council will undertake a mission for the development of Health Tourism in Northern Cyprus and will carry out activities to increase the added value within the country.\u201d.<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Cyprus Health Tourism Council became the 54th member country of the World Health Tourism Council (GHTC). GHTC President Emin \u00c7akmak, GHTC Secretary General Yunus G\u00fcrkan and Cyprus Health Tourism Council Founding President Ahmet Sava\u015fan signed the membership certificate at the ceremony held yesterday at Kyrenia Vuni Palace Hotel.<\/p>\n

Ahmet Sava\u015fan, Founding President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, said that in addition to the natural and created advantages of the country in health tourism, governments should also see health tourism as one of the main tourism types of the country and make the necessary legal regulations and inspections in this context.<\/p>\n

Ahmet Sava\u015fan, the founding President of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, made a statement to the press before the signing ceremony and pointed out that a historical step has been taken in terms of tourism in the country.<\/p>\n

ALTERNATIVE TOURISM PRODUCTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stating that although the TRNC is a small country in the world geography, thanks to the determination and perseverance of its people, especially the universities and University Hospital, private hospitals and clinics, touristic facilities and other successful stakeholders, the TRNC is continuously striving to further improve the standards accepted today, Sava\u015fan said:<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to announce to the world through you that we have established the Cyprus Health Tourism Council with the main goal of increasing the added value of the country with the main goal of increasing the added value of the country with the different and rich features of Northern Cyprus, which is preferred only for its sea, sun and sand in many parts of the world, with its different and rich other features, especially health tourism, sustainable and alternative tourism products.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sharing some data for a clearer perception of the importance of Health Tourism in terms of the world, Turkey and TRNC, Sava\u015fan continued as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, the annual turnover of the world health tourism sector has reached 400 billion dollars. In 2014, the number of patients brought to Turkey from abroad exceeded 400 thousand and we know that the necessary steps are being taken to increase this figure to 1 million in the next 5 years. I would also like to inform you that the income of approximately 3 billion dollars obtained in 2014 in Turkey is calculated to increase to 6 billion dollars with the hospitals to be completed in 2015-2016. I would also like to inform you that Turkey's 2023 target is to increase health tourism revenues to 20 billion dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE PREFERRED\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Underlining that Northern Cyprus has the necessary characteristics to be preferred, Ahmet Sava\u015fan noted that there is of course a long way to go in order to get the share it deserves from the developing health tourism in the world.<\/p>\n

Stating that TRNC has an important potential in terms of health tourism with its geographical location, historical, touristic and human characteristics, qualified hospitals and clinics, the number of which is increasing day by day, especially NEU Hospital, Sava\u015fan said, \u201cOur country has all the features required to be preferred in health tourism thanks to its high-comfort hospitals consisting of smart buildings, specialist physicians using the latest technology devices and up-to-date information, and price advantages offered by international accreditations.\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIT HAS A MULTIPLIER EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pointing out that the added value created by those who come to Turkey within the scope of health tourism almost doubles the tourism income, Sava\u015fan said, \u201cWith the great efforts of our entrepreneurs in our country, important but limited progress has been achieved in medical tourism services, especially in vitro fertilization, medical massage, spa applications in our hotels and elderly-disabled tourism.\u201d.<\/p>\n

Emphasizing that the development of sustainable, alternative tourism types, especially health tourism, is very important in the country, Sava\u015fan continued as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cI would also like to inform you, our esteemed members of the press, that patients who prefer to travel abroad for treatment travel with their companions to the country where they will receive healthcare services and that they stay longer, visit more and shop more in the countries they visit compared to holiday tourists. It is important to note that both the treatment and other expenditures made by foreign patients make a great contribution to the economies of countries and create a multiplier effect in economies with these characteristics.<\/p>\n

When we evaluate our country's tourism, while we emphasize that our tourism is in a continuous development trend compared to the past years, it should also be noted that our occupancy rates are still around 50 percent.<\/p>\n

Based on these facts, the most important point in tourism is not the number of people brought to the country, but how much added value the tourists brought to the country create in accordance with the chosen tourism model.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stating that the important thing is not the number of people but the added value created, Ahmet Sava\u015fan stated that the hotel occupancy rates in the country remain at 50 percent, showing that there is more to be done for the country's tourism and said, \u2019In this context, the Cyprus Health Tourism Council, which was founded by many important stakeholders, will undertake a mission for the development of Health Tourism in Northern Cyprus and will carry out activities to increase the added value within the country.\u201c.<\/p>\n

Sava\u015fan said that the aim of the Cyprus Health Tourism Council is to bring together the stakeholders of the health, tourism and university sectors and to ensure the development of Health Tourism in Northern Cyprus.<\/p>\n

Sharing his views on what needs to be done in this regard, Sava\u015fan said:<\/p>\n

\u201cLEGAL REGULATION AND SUPERVISION IS A MUST\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs the annual turnover in health tourism in the world has reached 400 billion dollars and the number of people traveling in this context exceeds millions, many countries in the world have made the necessary arrangements in their countries in order to get a share from this important sector.<\/p>\n

Looking at our country, it is necessary to emphasize that the most important need for us to get the share we deserve from Health Tourism is inter-institutional communication and coordination.<\/p>\n

Quality, international standards, branding, promotion and innovation are of great importance to be successful in health tourism. There are many segments of health tourism such as medical tourism, elderly-disabled tourism and sports tourism. It is obvious that especially medical, elderly and disabled tourism has a great potential for our country. In addition to the natural and created advantages of the country in health tourism, it is inevitable for governments to see health tourism as one of the main tourism types of the country and to make the necessary legal regulations and inspections in this context.\u201d<\/p>\n

INCENTIVE IMPORTANT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Noting that the tax reductions given to health tourism in Turkey, the financial support for overseas promotion and the structure of the Ministry of Health that supports and supervises the sector should be a role model for the TRNC, Sava\u015fan also emphasized that it is extremely important for universities to conduct research and scientific studies in the field of health tourism for the development of the sector.<\/p>\n

Noting that the relevant ministries should determine the standards of innovative service areas that will serve health tourism as soon as possible, Sava\u015fan said, \u201cIt is also extremely important to strengthen the coordination and cooperation of the public, private sector, non-governmental organizations and universities in order for health tourism to develop on solid foundations.\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cCYPRUS MUST BE AN ISLAND OF HEALTHY LIVING\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Emin \u00c7akmak, President of the World Health Tourism Council (GHTC), said, \u201cOur goal should be to make Cyprus the \u2018Island of Healthy Living\u2019. Those who come to the island for health should benefit from the infrastructure facilities of Cyprus.\u201d.<\/p>\n

Stating that 12-month tourism will be realized in Cyprus by making investments suitable for active living conditions with long-term stays, \u00c7akmak said, \u201cYou should take advantage of the opportunities of Turkish Airlines, the global partner of the World Council. THY connects Cyprus to the world in health tourism.\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cNORTH CYPRUS ACCEPTED WITH ONE VOTE AGAINST\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00c7akmak, who also gave information about the establishment of the World Health Tourism Council, said that as a result of the electronic voting among the member countries, 52 out of 53 countries became members with \u2019yes\u201c votes and one \u201drejection\u201c vote. Emin \u00c7akmak said that the member country that voted \u201drefuse\u201c was informed that health tourism has no political side and that it continues to work primarily for human health.<\/p>\n

Stating that the health tourism market in the world is expected to reach 500 billion dollars, \u00c7akmak said that Northern Cyprus will become an important center in health tourism with the transportation facilities to be developed for Northern Cyprus, and that it is an advantage that Northern Cyprus receives 300 days of sunshine.<\/p>\n

\u201cSTATE SUPPORT IS NEEDED IN HEALTH TOURISM\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Explaining that active life tourism will come to the fore in the coming years and that preparations should be made for this, \u00c7akmak summarized as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cAdvanced active life tourism will come to the fore and we expect villages to be established for this. In addition, we know that Northern Cyprus is ready for health tourism with its private hospitals infrastructure and transportation. However, state support is needed in health tourism. Today we have 319 members and we are the largest council in the world. Those coming behind us have 60 members.<\/p>\n

In 2014, we hosted 726 thousand health tourists in all segments of health tourism, contributing 5.2 billion dollars to Turkey. Our target is to reach 750 thousand patients and 6-6.5 billion dollars in revenue. Turkey ranked 5th in terms of numbers and 3rd in terms of revenues after the USA and Germany, even though our prices are higher than Thailand and India.<\/p>\n

We will meet with Russian-speaking countries at the Kiev health tourism fair in September. We will take part in the Dubai Health Tourism Fair on October 7-8. We would like the Northern Cyprus Health Tourism Council to take part in these events with state support. Northern Cyprus should also take an active role in the World Health Tourism Council.\u201d<\/p>\n

FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH TOURISM COUNCIL<\/strong><\/p>\n