Health tourism, as the primary motivation, includes the types of tourism that contribute to physical, mental and / or mental health through medical and healthy life-based activities, increase the capacity of individuals to meet their own needs, and enable them to perform better duties as individuals in their environment and society. Health tourism is a general term (UNWTO) expressing the subtypes of wellness (thermal, spa, spaturism and medical (medical) tourism.

In Türkiye, it can be told that İstanbul is the center of medical tourism. Medical tourism is one of subheadings of health tourism described as " a tourism activity including usage proven healing sources and services (interventional and non-invasive)"

İstanbul has an important potential in terms of technology, infrastructure and personnel. Its historical and natural richness, geographical location and cultural assets make İstanbul an attractive destination for medical tourism. Most of the hospitals providing services in the field of health tourism in Türkiye are located in İstanbul. In İstanbul, which is the center of medical tourism, significant progress has been made in health tourism with the cooperation of the accommodation sector, insurance sector, communication sector and other stakeholder sectors (İstanbul  Development Agency - ISTKA).

United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284420858 

İstanbul Development Agency (İSTKA)
https://www.istka.org.tr/media/1074/t%C3%BCrkiye-ve-%C4%B0stanbul-b%C3%B6lgesi-nde-turizm.pdf