President of Marmara Group Foundation Dr. Akkan Suver attended Balkan Health Forum, which was organized in Belgrade, as guest of honor.

Speech of Dr. Akkan Suver, the President of the Marmara Group Foundation at the Balkan Health Forum

"I want to start my remarks by hoping that this meeting, in which the medical tourism in the Balkans will be addressed, to be productive.

I am here before you on behalf of the Marmara Group Foundation of Turkey.

In general, when we look at the tourism sector we see that in addition to the traditional vocation, leisure and cultural tourism, tourists also prefer alternative tourism options like medical tourism as well. With the fact that during the 18th century in Europe going to hot springs becoming more common, it can be said that hot springs paved the way for the start of the medical tourism activities.

Medical tourism as one of the options of the alternative tourism, can be categorized as climatism (taking advantage of clean and fresh air), thermalism(hot springs) and uvalism (cure treatment) within.

Medical tourism in broad definition is the tourism activities that happens as a result of people's choice to go distance places in order to take advantage of the low prices in medical care in contrast with the high price of medical care in their own countries. In addition to the low price medical care the most efficient factors that benefit this kind of tourism are, the developing medical technology in given countries, low transportation costs and internet marketing.

I believe that today and tomorrow the experts of this topic will speak and inform us. With your permission, I will present the tourism activities in the Balkans to your attention. I will address the countries in an alphabetical order.

The gross domestic product (GDP) of Albania is around 27,7 (twenty seven point seven) billion dollars and around %10 (ten percent) of this revenue is coming from tourism.

The revenue from tourism has increased %17 (seventeen percent) from last year and in 2013 (two thousand thirteen) reached to 2 (two) billion Euros. The number of tourists visiting the country became 2,6 (two point six) million with a %30 (thirty percent) increase from last year. Albania's decision to regard tourism as a prioritized sector in the national development strategy.

 Dr. Akkan Suver and Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay visited Mufti of Serbia Muhammed Jusufspahic in Belgrade

Around %3,5 (three and a half percent) of Bosnia Herzegovina's 32,5 (thirty two and a half) billion dollars GDP comes from tourism.

Last year the tourism revenues surpassed the 1 billion dollars. Tourists visiting the country reached to 900(nine hundred) thousand. Bosnia Herzegovina is one of the countries that aims the fastest growth in tourism in the world.

Bulgaria's GDP is 51(fifty one) billion dollars and 7,9 (seven point nine) billion dollars of this comes from tourism. More than 5 million tourists visited Bulgaria in 2013. The growth rate of tourism sector in Bulgaria outpaces the economic growth rate.

%20 (twenty percent) of Croatia's 78,1 (seventy eight point one) billion dollars GDP comes from tourism revenues. In 2013 a record number of 13 (thirteen) million tourists visited Croatia. By 2020 (twenty twenty) Croatia aims to reach to 17,5 (seventeen point five) tourists and surpass the 17 (seventeen) billion dollars in tourism revenues.

Greece has a GDP of 266 (two hundred sixty six) billion dollars and %16 (sixteen percent) of this is due to the tourism sector. %16,7 (sixteen point seven percent) of nations employment is from tourism sector (around 659 (six hundred fifty nine) thousand jobs). An average of 19,5 (nineteen point five) million tourists are visiting Greece annually.

Macedonia has a GDP of 22,1 (twenty point one) billion dollars and around %5 (five percent) of this comes from tourism. According to the Macedonia Statistics Institution the revenue from tourism in 2013 was around 200 (two hundred) million dollars.

Montenegro has a GDP of 7,4 (seven point four) billion dollars and %20,8 (twenty point eight percent) of this comes from tourism. %17,8 (seventeen point eight percent) of all national employment provided by the tourism sector.

The revenues from tourism reached to 300 (three hundred) million Euros in 2013 with a %3 (three percent) increase. The tourist visiting the countries in the same period increased around %10 (ten percent) and a number of tourists equal to the country's population has entered the country.

Serbia's GDP is around 80,4 (eighty point four) billion dollars and %1,25 (one point twenty five percent) of this is due to tourism. In 2013 more than 920 (nine hundred twenty) thousand tourists visited Serbia.

Slovenia has a GDP around 57,9 (fifty seven point nine) billion dollars and had a tourism revenue of 3,2 (three point two) billion dollars roughly equaling the %5 (five percent) of the GDP.

Slovenia has initiated a Tourism Development Strategy for 2016 (twenty sixteen). According to this strategy tourism is aimed as a sustainable development element for Slovenia.

%4,3 (four point three percent) of Romania's 352,2 (three hundred fifty two point two) billion dollars GDP comes from tourism. Romania's tourism revenues exceeds 2 (two) billion dollars and %5,8 (five point eight percent) of nation's employment comes from tourism (around 500 (five hundred) thousand jobs). An average of 9 million tourists are visiting Romania annually.

Dr. Akkan Suver and Ambassador Mehmet Kemal Bozay visited Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Vuk Jeremic in Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development

Turkey, my country, has a GDP of 789 (seven hundred eighty nine) billion dollars and %3,7 (three point seven percent) of this comes from tourism.

In 2013 39,2 (thirty nine point two) tourists visited Turkey and revenues from tourism are more than 32 (thirty two) billion dollars.

When we roughly look at the Balkans, we see that, excluding Turkey, an average of 45 (forty five) million tourists are visiting the Balkans annually. When you add Turkey to the picture, the number of tourists exceed 80 (eighty) million tourists per year.

I would like to present to your attention that this number is insufficient, not enough.

France receives 83 (eighty three) tourists annually. France has a population of 66 (sixty six) million.

The total population of the Balkan countries I have stated has more population than France in total.

From this, I would like to come to the conclusion that the Balkan countries should pay more attention and attach more importance to tourism. I believe, the development and initiative that the chimneyless industry of our age creates in the Balkans will not only serve to prosperity but will also open a new door to stability and peace.

In the wake of these thoughts, I salute your high delegation and present my respectful regards to the participants of the Forum."

Dr. Akkan Suver presented his book on Montenegro to Minet Music