International Cooperation in Health Tourism: Every Market Needs Its Own Approach
The New Paradigm of Health Tourism – Part 9
Last week, we considered health diplomacy as one of health tourism’s most important, though invisible, strengths. We argued that it builds trust and a shared future between countries, alongside cooperation. This raises an important question:
How do we establish these partnerships?
Internationalisation in health tourism does not mean offering the same service, message and model to every country. Becoming global requires a sound understanding of local and regional differences.
Every health tourism market needs its own approach.
Countries differ in their health systems, incomes, demographics, disease profiles, insurance arrangements, cultures, access to care, waiting times, patient expectations and even healthcare purchasing behaviour. I therefore believe Türkiye must develop health tourism strategies for individual countries and regions.
First the market, then the strategy
One common mistake is developing a product first and then looking for a market. The right approach begins with market analysis. Which healthcare services are needed? Where do patients currently travel, and why? Which services face capacity gaps at home? What matters most: price, quality, waiting times, technology or trust? Who makes the decision: the patient, physician, insurer or intermediary? Without this knowledge, promotion may fail to produce sustainable results despite substantial spending.
Offering every market the same product, message and pricing policy is an absence of strategy.
The Turkic republics: A relationship beyond patients
Viewing the Turkic republics solely as markets that send patients to Türkiye would mean losing a major opportunity. Shared history, culture, linguistic affinity and mutual trust provide the basis for much broader cooperation.
Alongside patient mobility, opportunities include training health professionals, joint academic programmes, hospital management, new healthcare investments, rehabilitation centres, imaging and advanced diagnostics, digital health infrastructure, pharmaceuticals and medical technology. Our approach should therefore go beyond “Send your patients to Türkiye” towards “Let us develop our health systems together.” I believe this will create much more enduring partnerships.
The Middle East: Trust, experience and high value
The Middle East requires a different approach. The experience of patients and their families, privacy, language, cultural compatibility, personalised service and trust can be particularly influential. Türkiye can develop a strong offering in advanced surgery, oncology, organ transplantation, rehabilitation, health screening, aesthetic procedures, longevity and healthy living. Positioning Türkiye solely as an affordable healthcare destination would be inadequate. We may have a price advantage, but it should not be the foundation of our brand. High quality, trust and an exceptional patient experience offer a more sustainable position in this market.
Europe: Value beyond price
Our approach to Europe must differ again. European patients may place greater emphasis on quality standards, clinical outcomes, accreditation, data security, continuity of care and integration with their own health system. Waiting times, second opinions, selected specialised treatments, rehabilitation, dental care, thermal health, wellness and healthy ageing offer opportunities. Leading with “We are cheaper” could damage Türkiye’s healthcare brand over time. The right message is: “We offer the same or greater value through strong clinical infrastructure and a comprehensive service experience.”
America: Build the right model first
America deserves particular attention. The United States is one of the world’s largest and most complex healthcare economies, making a conventional health tourism approach unsuitable. Rather than focusing solely on individual patients, Türkiye could develop partnerships with healthcare providers, physician networks, insurance and payment mechanisms, employer health programmes, referral systems, diaspora communities, second-opinion services and digital health platforms. Distance also means we must select the right patient groups and treatment areas.
Different models can be developed for complex surgery, second opinions, specialised treatments, advanced diagnostics, selected elective procedures, rehabilitation and healthy living. Health tourism should also encompass exporting Türkiye’s healthcare knowledge, physician expertise, hospital management experience and digital health solutions to America.
Latin America requires its own assessment. Given the geographical distance, training, technology, digital health, academic cooperation and institutional partnerships in selected specialties may offer more realistic models than patient mobility alone.
Africa: Build capacity alongside patient pathways
Africa holds considerable potential for health tourism. Yet seeing it only as a source of patients is incomplete. In some countries, the more fundamental needs are access to care, trained professionals, diagnostic infrastructure and hospital management capacity. Türkiye can play a stronger role through physician and professional training, hospital operations, telehealth, laboratory and imaging infrastructure, healthcare investment and technology transfer, alongside receiving patients. We should engage Africa to build health capacity as well as attract patients. This approach strengthens health diplomacy and long-term economic relationships.
The Balkans: Turn proximity into strategic advantage
The Balkans offer Türkiye a different advantage. Geographic proximity, historical relationships, transport links and cultural connections can support faster and more sustainable patient mobility. They also offer opportunities for university cooperation, joint training, physician exchanges and referral systems between institutions. Proximity should mean bringing health ecosystems closer, as well as shorter flights.
The real issue is determining the value proposition and partnership model with which we enter each market.
One Türkiye, different approaches
Türkiye has strong healthcare infrastructure, skilled physicians, quality hospitals, tourism and accommodation capacity, management experience and geographic advantages. We cannot use all these strengths in the same way in every market. We may reach one country through oncology, another through rehabilitation, another through healthcare education, another through hospital operations, and another through AI and digital health. Some countries may be patient markets; others investment, academic or technology partners. Some may combine several roles. This is where strategy begins.
From agreements to outcomes
Signing numerous agreements is not itself success. Cooperation requires measurable objectives, an implementation plan, responsible people, a financing model and sustainability. Otherwise, it cannot progress beyond signing ceremonies.
The strongest countries in the future of health tourism will be those able to build the right healthcare networks with the right partners in the right markets.
Last week, we said health diplomacy builds trust between countries. This week, we go a step further. Turning trust into economic and strategic value requires sound market analysis, the right approach, the right strategy and the right partnerships.
Türkiye’s next objective should be to match its different strengths accurately with each country’s and region’s real needs. Perhaps this is the new formula for success in global health tourism:
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