Global Healthcare Travel Forum & Conference 2024 – Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Declaration
The 6th Global Healthcare Travel Forum and Conference provided a comprehensive discussion and knowledge sharing platform on the future of health tourism. Under the theme of “Innovation and Cooperation in Global Health Tourism”, participants made a detailed assessment of the current situation, developments and future potential of health tourism.
Assessment and Decisions:
- Innovation and Technology:
The importance of digitalization and technology use in health tourism was emphasized. Participants discussed the applications of the latest technologies in fields such as telemedicine, remote healthcare, medical robotics and artificial intelligence in health tourism.
Decision 1: It was decided to establish a working group to determine strategies on how future technological developments will transform the health tourism industry and the impact of this transformation on sustainability.
- Sustainability and Environmental Awareness:
The issues of reducing the environmental impacts of health tourism and adopting sustainability principles were discussed. Participants exchanged ideas on innovative solutions on issues such as energy efficiency, waste management, design of green facilities and protection of natural resources.
Decision 2: It was decided to establish a working group to share how sustainable tourism practices can be promoted in the health tourism sector and to share the best practices regarding sustainability.
- Global Collaboration and Marketing:
The importance of international cooperation and new marketing strategies was emphasized. Participants emphasized that effective strategies should be determined for the branding, promotion and marketing of health tourism destinations.
Decision 3: It was decided to establish a working group to determine concrete steps to be taken in order to expand global health tourism networks and increase knowledge and experience sharing among stakeholders.
- Training and Quality Standards:
The importance of education and quality standards in health tourism was emphasized. Participants pointed out that educational resources should be developed to increase access of healthcare professionals and tourism professionals to internationally recognized training programs.
Decision 4.1: It was decided to raise quality standards and encourage internationally accepted certification processes.
Decision 4.2: It was decided to continue the Webinar training seminars initiated during the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Presidency Period.
- Legal and Ethical Issues:
Legal and ethical dimensions of health tourism were discussed. The participants focused on setting standards for health tourism at the international level (on the issues of protecting and improving health and restoring health), protecting the rights of patients and strengthening medical ethical rules.
Decision 5: It was decided to establish working groups to develop and implement ethical guidelines regarding the provision of health services in health tourism.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Declaration 2024
The 6th Global Healthcare Travel Forum and Conference (GHTF 2024) is considered an important milestone in the health tourism industry. Participants participated in discussions aimed at taking important steps in determining the future of health tourism and discussed the developments and innovations in the sector in depth.
During GHTF 2024, issues such as sustainability of global health tourism, innovation, efforts to increase quality standards, ethical and legal responsibilities came to the fore.
Participants expressed their determination to work together and more effectively to further advance the health tourism industry and fully exploit the potential in the sector. In addition, a consensus has been set among the participants that the new strategies to be determined in the working groups to be arranged on global cooperation, technological progress, sustainability and education will make a significant contribution to shaping the future of health tourism.
It was emphasized that in order to implement the decisions taken, member country representatives and all stakeholders should work in close cooperation. It was re-emphasized that the Global Healthcare Travel Council (GHTC) has important duties such as representing the common interests of the sector, promoting global cooperation, increasing information sharing, raising quality standards and supporting the sustainable growth of the sector.
Participants agreed that in order for the Council to fulfill these important duties more effectively, representatives of member countries should provide the necessary contribution to strengthen the institutional structure of the GHTC Brussels Office, which was registered during the term presidency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and to increase its activities.
Finally, it was decided to support the international cooperation led by GHTC and the sharing of best practices in the sector with concrete steps, and it was emphasized that these efforts will contribute to the further growth and development of the global health tourism industry.
