Healthcare Cooperation Between Türkiye and Germany for an Ageing Europe

Shared opportunities in medical, thermal, wellness and senior tourism

Behlül ÜNVER

President of the World Health Tourism Platform

4 October 2026

Europe’s ageing population is giving healthcare cooperation between Türkiye and Germany a concrete agenda. How we sustain the treatment, rehabilitation and care services needed in later life will concern more families and institutions in the years ahead. By considering Türkiye’s healthcare services alongside its thermal resources, coastal living opportunities and accommodation infrastructure, we can develop joint solutions to meet these needs.

According to Eurostat, 22% of the European Union’s population was aged 65 or over on 1 January 2025.[1] A projection published by Germany’s Federal Statistical Office in December 2025 forecasts that one in four people in Germany will be aged 67 or over in 2035.[2] Although the age thresholds differ, these two indicators illustrate Europe’s current position and Germany’s approaching retirement demographic. We should prepare our healthcare and care plans for this demographic change now.

My proposal is to develop the Türkiye–Germany health tourism relationship within a framework of cooperation encompassing medical, thermal, wellness and senior tourism. Needs range from surgery or specialist treatment to spending several months of retirement in a healthy and safe environment. Jointly planning where, by whom and under which payment arrangements each appropriate service will be provided could create new opportunities for patients and for healthcare and tourism institutions.

What longstanding ties can mean for healthcare

The longstanding relationship between Türkiye and Germany, family ties and the business activity developed in both countries provide a strong starting point for this partnership. According to the German Federal Foreign Office’s 2025 assessment, approximately three million people of Turkish origin live in Germany.[3] Many families’ lives span both countries. Where to live in retirement, proximity to family and access to healthcare are becoming parts of the same decision.

The Turkish community’s linguistic and cultural ties in Germany can make it easier to understand needs and design appropriate services. Partnerships built on this experience should also be open to other people living in Germany. Turkish and German healthcare institutions, universities, insurers and investors can address the needs of an ageing population together. Our existing ties could thus become projects that deliver regular services and allow their outcomes to be monitored.

Considering medical, thermal, wellness and senior tourism together

Medical tourism covers travel for diagnosis and treatment. Highly specialized procedures, planned surgery and certain rehabilitation services can fall within this field. To help a person living in Germany access appropriate care, a connection should be established between the pre-treatment assessment in Türkiye and follow-up in Germany. Travel should be planned according to the patient’s medical needs and preferences.

In thermal tourism, resources and facilities across Türkiye offer a distinct area for cooperation. Thermal destinations such as Afyonkarahisar, Bursa and Denizli also feature in official tourism promotion.[4] Rehabilitation programmes based on a physician’s assessment, appropriate thermal treatments and accommodation can be designed together at these facilities. When developing joint programmes with healthcare institutions in Germany, the scientific basis, clinical suitability and payment coverage of the service should be clearly defined.

Wellness tourism can bring together opportunities for movement, nutrition, rest and social participation that support everyday wellbeing. The natural environment, sea and seasonally mild climate of Türkiye’s Mediterranean and Aegean coasts offer opportunities for designing these programmes. We can consider extended coastal stays, accessible walking areas and social activities alongside a living arrangement close to healthcare services. The appeal of the natural environment should be complemented by services suited to each person’s age and needs.

Senior tourism should also be considered through the living preferences of retirees and older people. An independently living retiree’s need for seasonal accommodation differs from the care needs of someone who requires assistance with daily life. Regular health checks, rehabilitation, support at home or residential care can be planned according to need. Voluntary participation, the person’s right to make decisions and communication with family should underpin these programmes.

Areas for joint work in health tourism

Service area	Primary need	Example of joint work
Medical tourism	Access to diagnosis and treatment	Treatment in Türkiye linked to local assessment and follow-up
Thermal tourism	Appropriate thermal treatments and rehabilitation	Facility and accommodation programmes designed with healthcare institutions
Wellness tourism	Wellbeing and active living	Coastal stays supported by physical activity and social participation
Senior tourism	Seasonal living and support according to need	Extended stays or assisted living with planned access to healthcare and care

The table summarizes proposals for cooperation. Service and payment coverage must be defined separately for each programme.

Making it easier for retirees to live in Türkiye

Some Turkish citizens who have worked in Germany for many years wish to spend a greater part of the year in Türkiye or continue their retirement here. Concern about interruptions to healthcare and care services can make this choice more difficult. It is understandable that someone who does not know how the services available in Germany would continue in Türkiye might postpone their living plans, even with strong family ties and a connection to their homeland.

A foundation for addressing this already exists. According to information from Türkiye’s Social Security Institution (SGK), people insured in countries covered by agreements can use contracted healthcare providers in Türkiye with the appropriate healthcare entitlement document and registration procedures. However, coverage can differ between temporary visits and permanent residence, and conditions depend on the person’s insurance status.[5] The use of German long-term care insurance abroad is also subject to rules separate from health insurance.[6] We therefore cannot assume that all healthcare and care services available in Germany can be obtained in Türkiye under the same coverage.

An important area for joint work is to make existing entitlements easier to understand and use, while developing solutions for gaps in coverage. My proposal is for SGK, German health and long-term care insurers and service providers to work together to clarify access, service coverage and payment arrangements. Agreements and legal changes needed for broader coverage must be considered separately. The aim is to develop an arrangement through which services compatible with the healthcare and care coverage held in Germany can also be provided in Türkiye. Enabling retirees to choose to live in Türkiye while preserving their protections would be a valuable service for our citizens.

Consider a person receiving follow-up care in Germany who wishes to spend the winter months of retirement in Türkiye. If regular medication supplies, check-ups and support at home when needed are planned in advance, a stay of several months can be considered with greater confidence. If daily care is needed, both the provider and its financing must be defined separately. In this example, the solution is to consider the person’s living preferences and healthcare and care needs within the same plan.

Providing services jointly in both countries

International healthcare already has structures that enable the relationship to begin before a patient travels and continue after their return. For example, a Türkiye-based healthcare group’s Berlin office serves as a local contact point for information, sharing reports, treatment planning and communication after the patient returns.[7] Such offices make it easier for patients to obtain information where they live. Medical services are delivered by authorized healthcare institutions and professionals.

In the model we should develop, liaison offices in Germany, partner local healthcare institutions and, where appropriate, joint investments can all play a role. Assessment and follow-up that can be provided locally can continue in Germany, while travel can be planned for treatment, rehabilitation or extended-stay programmes appropriately provided in Türkiye. A person could thereby benefit from a service network across both countries without having to change countries for every service. Information sharing and responsibilities for care must be defined between institutions from the outset.

Projects connecting hospitals, thermal facilities, accessible accommodation and care services can be developed in Türkiye, alongside local healthcare partnerships in Germany. Investment decisions should examine the target group’s actual needs, continuity of services and the payment model together. In addition to accommodation capacity, establishing working arrangements for healthcare and care teams will determine whether these projects are practicable.

Joint solutions in the short and medium term

In the short term, over the next one or two years, there are initiatives we can begin with existing institutions. These could include joint information for retirees about healthcare entitlements, local assessment and follow-up partnerships in Germany, and seasonal accommodation and thermal rehabilitation programmes in Türkiye with a limited number of participants. Each programme should assess healthcare and care needs, service coverage, costs and the person’s experience together. These initiatives can show which models are suitable for expansion.

In the medium term, within a three-to-five-year framework, joint rehabilitation centres, assisted-living projects and payment agreements with insurers in appropriate service areas could be considered. A connected structure could provide assessment and follow-up in Germany and appropriate treatment or accommodation in Türkiye. Success depends on institutions operating within their respective authorizations and on older people having uninterrupted access to services.

Human resources are also an important area for cooperation. Joint educational programmes, language training and exchanges of institutional experience can be developed in medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, geriatrics and care services. Teams from both countries receiving training together in communication with older people, assistance with daily living and care coordination could provide a concrete starting point. Türkiye’s expertise in healthcare management and service delivery can meet Germany’s experience in the relevant fields through educational and practical projects. Models that comply with professional authorization and qualification requirements should aim to strengthen service capacity in both countries.

We can build our joint response to Europe’s ageing population around where people wish to live and the support they need there. Türkiye’s medical services, thermal resources and coastal living opportunities can be considered in projects connected to Germany’s healthcare and care system. Our longstanding ties provide a strong foundation for beginning this work. We should now turn that foundation into services that make a difference in retirees’ and families’ daily lives.

Sources

The sources were checked on 4 October 2026.

[1] Eurostat. Population structure and ageing. Population data for 1 January 2025 and the February 2026 assessment.

[2] Destatis. Population projection. The 16th coordinated population projection and the statement of 11 December 2025.

[3] German Federal Foreign Office. Germany and Turkey: Bilateral relations. 5 March 2025.

[4] Türkiye Tourism Promotion and Development Agency, GoTürkiye. Thermal Springs and Wellness Guide. Presentation of thermal destinations.

[5] Social Security Institution (SGK). Yurtdışı. Healthcare entitlements for people insured abroad and retirees residing in Türkiye.

[6] Germany’s federal legislation portal. SGB XI, Section 34. Current provisions on using long-term care insurance entitlements abroad.

[7] Acıbadem International. Berlin, Germany. The institution’s explanation of the liaison office’s functions.