TURKEY: Celebrated Medical Tourism Destination

Turkey is fast becoming the top medical tourism destination in the world for a nip, tuck, laser eye surgery or hair transplant.

According to the Turkey Medical Tourism Outlook for 2017, the country is the preferred destination for hair transplant procedures for Arab nations.

Over the past few years rising costs in healthcare have caused an increase in the medical tourism industry, with patients flocking to parts of Turkey for cosmetic surgery.

According to the Turkey Medical Tourism Outlook for 2017, the country is the preferred destination for hair transplant procedures for Arab nations. The report also highlighted other emerging segments of Turkey’s medical tourism including dentistry, cosmetic surgery, infertility treatment and eye treatment.

“Patients are travelling to Turkey from all over the world, including the Gulf, seeking cosmetic surgery with a quick recovery,” said Mustafa Ozdemir, cultural and information attache from the Cultural and Information Office of the Turkish Consulate-General in Dubai.

“In fact, there are even companies that organise trips to Istanbul or south-western Turkey for procedures and treatments. Patients are looking for geographic proximity and the reputation of the country, when choosing Turkey, which is why medical tourism is increasing in the country and we anticipate significant growth in the near future.”

With Turkey treating nearly a quarter of a million foreign patients each year, the country boasts certified doctors in all fields and more Joint Commission International-accredited hospitals than anywhere outside the United States. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Turkey ranks ninth in the world for its number of plastic surgeons with 700 registered as practising in the country.

“People want to make the trip part of a tourism experience, so after their procedures they choose to stay in some of the most scenic cities in Turkey to make quick recoveries,” Ozdemir said. “These include Fethiye, Istanbul, Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum and Kusadasi.”

TURKEY: Turkey Sinks Airbus Jet To Attract Dive Tourism

Turkish authorities have sunk an A300 Airbus jet off a resort on the Aegean Sea with the aim of boosting diving tourism in the region, reports said on Sunday.

The giant plane was put to the bottom of the sea on Saturday afternoon off the popular resort of Kusadasi in Aydin province. The sinking of the giant plane -- with a wingspan of 44 metres and a length of 54 metres is aimed at promoting artificial reef diving which is hugely popular with experienced divers.

Once sunken, the plane acts like a reef, becoming a magnet for underwater flora and fauna. The 36-year-old aircraft had been bought by Aydin municipality from a private aviation firm for 270,000 Turkish lira (US $93,000).

Turkey is looking for new ways to promote its key tourism industry, which is expected to suffer a battering this year due to the security situation after a string of deadly attacks. Hundreds of people watched the two-and-a-half hour sinking on nearby boats, cheering and blasting their foghorns as the nose of the plane finally went down, video images showed.

"Our goal is to make Kusadasi a centre of diving tourism," said Aydin's mayor Ozlem Cercioglu. "Our goal is to protect the underwater life. And with these goals in mind, we have witnessed one of the biggest wrecks in the world."

She added: "Our main target to diversify tourism in Kusadasi and have a 12 month season." Three small planes have been sunk off Turkish resorts of recent years in the hope of promoting dive tourism but this is the first time Turkey has sent such a large aircraft to the bottom of the sea.