Globalization, driven by technological advancements and increased transportation options, has diminished the importance of international borders, accelerating the movement of goods, services, and people. While this process has transformed the tourism sector into a global industry, it has also enabled the emergence of health tourism as a significant economic phenomenon. Health tourism is defined as individuals traveling from their place of residence to another country for treatment, rehabilitation, or wellness purposes. The World Health Organization classifies this field into three main categories: medical, thermal-wellness, and elderly tourism. While in the past, patients traveled to more developed countries, a "reverse globalization" is now occurring, with patients moving from developed to developing nations due to cost advantages and high-quality services.

Turkey has become one of the world's leading health tourism destinations, thanks to its geographical location, advanced healthcare infrastructure, competitive prices, rich cultural heritage, and government incentives. It experiences high demand, particularly from Europe and the Middle East, in fields such as aesthetic surgery, hair transplantation, and eye, heart, and dental treatments. Turkey's tourism strategies aims to make the country a world leader in health tourism; key components of this goal include improving service quality, strengthening promotional activities, and developing facility infrastructure. Accordingly, the sector's contribution to the national economy is expected to continue growing.