A New Era in Health Tourism: Building Global Healthcare Brands

AI, digitalisation and global cooperation are redefining health tourism. Competition increasingly means creating healthcare brands trusted worldwide.

AI, big data, digital health, remote services and partnerships are changing access, decisions and institutional growth. Patient acquisition through marketing, social media, fairs, intermediaries and promotion remains important. We must also ask how to take Turkish healthcare brands to the world.

Health Tourism Is Evolving

This vision builds on existing patient mobility, which will continue growing. Türkiye’s infrastructure, people, costs and geography remain attractive. Advanced surgery, oncology, thermal health, healthy ageing, rehabilitation, wellness and prevention will continue bringing visitors.

Some services gain value through their location, resources, infrastructure and complete experience. Yet patient acquisition alone cannot explain future competition.

AI Is Changing the Rules

Patients can compare hospitals, examine physicians’ experience and assess options across countries through AI-supported search, platforms and databases. Easier information access increases the need for trust.

Transparent institutions with credible brands will be preferred.

The Right Model for the Right Patient

Some patients should receive care in Türkiye. Others may benefit from Turkish centres abroad, internationally managed hospitals, digital second opinions, remote monitoring or hybrid care.

Healthcare crosses borders in more ways than patient travel.

What Should We Export?

Hearing that patients can receive equivalent care from Turkish physicians abroad can indicate international confidence in our system. A crucial condition is that these activities operate through institutions representing Turkish brands.

We should export healthcare management, hospital operations, quality systems, technologies, training, digital solutions and project development, alongside services.

How Global Brands Develop

Apple and Coca-Cola operate worldwide while representing national economic strength and brand value. Healthcare can adopt a similar vision.

Why should Turkish institutions not operate under their brands in London, Berlin, Riyadh, Baku, Tashkent or Kuala Lumpur? We can build and manage hospitals, develop partnerships and create ecosystems abroad.

A New Vision for Türkiye

Our next phase should include global institutional growth, international use of Turkish operating models, technology exports, investment partnerships and trusted brands.

Countries will compete through knowledge and trustworthy ecosystems alongside products. Health tourism remains strategic, but leadership will increasingly be measured through international value and trust.

Future leaders will build partnerships, invest and operate abroad, export knowledge, develop technology and create global brands.

Taking Turkish brands worldwide can strengthen national reputation, economic power and international influence, alongside bringing patients to Türkiye.

Behlül ÜNVER President, World Health Tourism Platform