Nearly 1M tourists visit Turkey for health tourism

ANKARA 

Turkey attracted nearly 1 million people for health tourism in 2018, said an industry official on Tuesday.

“Thermal tourism contributes to Turkey’s economy with healing waters, as well as seas, rivers and lakes,” Yavuz Yilik, head of the Thermal Health and Tourism Association (TESTUD), told Anadolu Agency.

Yilik stressed that Turkey is one of the world's top seven countries for thermal springs, with about 1,500 natural hot spring water resources.

“Protecting our health-giving healing waters, using them properly, and passing them down to future generations with the same qualities is also important for the country's future,” he added.

Writing by Erdogan Cagatay Zontur