Does Türkiye’s Health Tourism See 1.3 Billion People?

Accessibility is a new field of competition in health tourism.

We often ask which treatments, markets, prices and promotional strategies will help us grow. A more fundamental question is whether everyone can genuinely access our services.

According to WHO, approximately 1.3 billion people, one in six worldwide, experience significant disability. Ageing, chronic disease and longer lives suggest increasing needs. Accessible services also support older people, temporary mobility restrictions, postoperative needs, visual or hearing loss and companions.

Accessible health tourism makes the whole journey safe, independent and respectful of human dignity.

An Accessible Healthcare Ecosystem

Accessibility is a fundamental quality criterion throughout health and tourism. Disability often reflects a mismatch between people and their environment. Someone independent at home can become dependent abroad because a transfer vehicle, room, hospital entrance or device is inaccessible.

Systems must respond to different needs. International patients face unfamiliar language, transport, health and safety concerns simultaneously. Reducing uncertainty creates trust.

Accessibility Begins Before the Hospital

The journey starts with online searches, enquiries and information documents. Can a screen reader use the website? Are captions or sign language available in video consultations? Are documents clear and accessible? Do patients know their transfer arrangements? Are rooms, examinations, imaging, toilets and rehabilitation accessible? Is emergency communication possible?

Digital information, travel, transfers, accommodation, hospitals, treatment, rehabilitation and follow-up form one chain. One inaccessible link can undermine the experience.

Ramps Are Not Enough

Ramps, lifts and wide doors are necessary. Communication, digital access and institutional readiness also matter. Sign language, visual and audio guidance, accessible consent, easy-read information, compatible platforms and adapted remote services should be standard components.

The objective is independent decisions, privacy and movement with as little unnecessary reliance on assistance as possible.

Good intentions alone are insufficient. Healthcare staff, advisers, transfer teams and hotel employees need training in communication with different disability groups.

An Important Opportunity for Türkiye

Hospitals, workforce, rehabilitation experience, thermal resources, physiotherapy and tourism diversity provide strengths. Separate accessible facilities do not automatically create an ecosystem. Airports, transport, hotels, city mobility, rehabilitation and digital follow-up need shared standards.

Bringing these together could make Türkiye a leader in managing complete journeys.

UN Tourism recognises accessibility as an area of transformation and competitiveness. It benefits families with children, older people, temporary health conditions and companions as well as people with disabilities. Investment improves safety and comfort for everyone.

Build Accessible Health Corridors

Türkiye should establish continuous models for particular countries and needs, from airport arrival to remote follow-up.

Hospitals, rehabilitation, thermal facilities, hotels, transfer companies, assistive-device providers and representatives should share a quality system. Multilingual accessible communication and one coordination point should support patients and companions throughout.

ISO 21902 provides an international tourism accessibility framework. Türkiye can combine it with clinical quality and safety standards. The objective should include measuring real experience.

Design Together with People with Disabilities

Users and representative organisations should be design partners. Their experience best reveals which physical arrangements, digital applications and communication methods work.

Projects may appear compliant yet create barriers if that experience is ignored. Participation also strengthens ethics, enabling independent, safe and informed decisions.

New Measures of Success

Alongside patient numbers and revenue, measure genuinely accessible institutions, trained staff, digital access, continuous transfers and accommodation, patient and companion satisfaction, complaint resolution and follow-up.

Accessibility claims on websites and promotional materials should receive independent scrutiny. Unexpected barriers can damage institutional and national trust.

Health Tourism for Everyone

A global brand anticipates diverse needs, protects dignity and includes everyone in the service chain.

Accessible health tourism combines human rights, quality, diplomacy and economic opportunity.

True quality is measured by how safely and independently the person needing the most support can make the journey.

Behlül Ünver President, World Health Tourism Platform