“Health Tourism Cooperation Protocol” was signed between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The protocol was signed by the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Turkish Healthcare Travel Council, Dr. Köksal Holoğlu, and the Chairman of the Cyprus Healthcare Travel Council, Deputy Dr. Ahmet Savaşan, who also holds the Presidency of the Global Healthcare Travel Council in Istanbul.
With the protocol, it is aimed developing mutual cooperation between Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the field of health tourism, especially in physiotherapy, aesthetics, IVF, heart and wellness, and also to carry out studies to bring new health tourism investments to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Speaking at the protocol signing ceremony, Turkish Healthcare Travel Council Chairman of the Executive Board Dr. Köksal Holoğlu pointed out that a health tourist spends an average of 5 thousand dollars in the country he visits, and stated that nearly 30 million people go abroad to receive health services annually, which creates a business volume of approximately 500 billion Turkish Liras. Stating that Turkey is one of the leading players in the field of health tourism and the resources provided in this field are increasing every year, Dr. Holoğlu stated that the TRNC has significant potential in many fields such as physical therapy, elderly care, aesthetic surgery and wellness, and said that with the signed protocol, it is aimed to increase the health tourism volume and revenues of the TRNC.
IT İS AİMED TO İNCREASE THE COOPERATİON BETWEEN TRNC-TC…
Stating that the Turkish Healthcare Travel Council and the Cyprus Healthcare Travel Council have been collaborating for years, Dr. Holoğlu said he believes that this cooperation will be carried forward with the signed protocol which aims to diversify the health tourism products in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and to present them to the international market together in 2023-24, to increase the cooperation agreements between the organizations engaged in health tourism in the TRNC and the TR, and to bring new health tourism investments to the TRNC.
ALMOST 4 TİMES THE POPULATİON OF TRNC WELCOMES TOURİSTS…
Dr. Ahmet Savaşan, stating that Cyprus has not lost its charm for centuries due to strategic, political, commercial and religious reasons, as it is an island with a deep-rooted history of 10 thousand years that inspired the works of Shakespeare and Leonardo da Vinci, said that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which was established in 1983 in the north of Cyprus, which is the third largest island in the Mediterranean and the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, is a qualified tourism destination that has managed to host tourists almost 4 times its population. Underlining that Northern Cyprus can be reached from anywhere in the world via Istanbul, Dr. Savaşan stated that the protocol will make a significant contribution to reaching the target of a 50 percent increase in health tourism revenues and a 20 percent increase in employment, set by the Cyprus Healthcare Travel Council for 2023. Stating that by acting together with Turkey on promotion and marketing, the visibility of Northern Cyprus on international platforms will be increased and thus tourism revenues will increase, Dr. Savaşan reminded that the TRNC is now the Term President of the Global Healthcare Travel Council and the protocol also envisages taking steps to develop mutual cooperation between Turkey and the TRNC with the member countries of the Global Healthcare Travel Council.
