A Brief Comparison of Health Tourism in Brazil and Turkey

Abstract

Since ancient times, human beings have migrated from one region to another. One of the reasons for this migration is tourism. Health tourism is among the various types of tourism and represents an important activity for the economy of several countries. Brazil and Turkey are examples of countries that have gained prominence in the sector in recent years. This study aimed to compare health tourism in Brazil and Turkey. This is a descriptive and analytical study written by the authors as a master’s dissertation. It is based on a large literature review about health tourism in Brazil and Turkey. Scientific articles and also documents prepared by the Brazilian and Turkish governments were used. The SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis was performed to comprehensively assess the situation of health tourism in the two countries. Subsequently, a SWOT analysis matrix was established and recommendations were provided to empower health tourism in Brazil and Turkey. The two countries have many similar points regarding positive and negative factors that influence health tourism. Brazil and Turkey are famous for their natural beauty; summer, cultural, and historical tourism. Both countries have the potential to grow in the health tourism sector, but for that, it is necessary to solve obstacles related mainly to the lack of organization and coordination between the services involved in health tourism activities, in addition, attention must be paid to barriers that arise due to the lack of knowledge of foreign languages and the negative image of both countries abroad.