Incentives could earn Turkey $8 bln in health tourism

Turkey could earn $8 billion from medical tourism annually starting in 2015 if the government introduces tax incentives for the sector, the Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK) argues in a new report. Presenting the new report on Sunday, DEIK officials said the sector needs a value-added tax (KDV) incentive for sustainable rejuvenation in the years to come. Turkey is among the few countries that offer vast opportunities in health tourism, the report says, adding that it could attract around 1 million patients per year once the necessary infrastructure is established. Turkey is getting attention for its quality, low-cost health tourism services along with such countries as India, Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. More and more number of people worldwide travel to these countries for medical treatment. Considering the remarkable tourism potential in the country, health tourism has a bright future in Turkey, the report says. The introduction of a possible KDV refund on health tourism services would boost this promising industry, the DEIK report argues, adding that a tax exemption would ensure sustainable growth in the long-term, injecting new life into the sector. "Provided that steps are taken in this regard, the amount of revenue Turkey could earn from medical tourism could reach $8 million annually starting in 2015," it says. Health tourism sector representatives are now waiting to see how the government reacts to this request.