Tourism sector representatives from Azerbaijan participated in the “Samsun Ikiztepe Health Summit”

The “Samsun İkiztepe Health Summit” was held in Samsun, Turkey, from November 3 to 6,2022. The main theme of the conference was dedicated to the development of health tourism and modern trends.

The delegation from Azerbaijan was represented at the conference by the Working Commission on Tourism and Services under the National Confederation of Entrepreneurs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijani Health and Thermal Tourism Support Association. Within the framework of the event, B2B meetings were held to explore tourism opportunities pertaining to healthcare and wellbeing in Samsun, to establish bilateral relations, and to introduce medical, health and resort tourism available in Azerbaijan.

Mr. Orhan Aydın, the chairman of the Anatolian Lions Businessmen’s Association (ASKON), Mr. Mustafa Demir, the Mayor of Samsun and other notable persons spoke at the opening ceremony.

Mr. Orhan Aydın, the chairman of the Anatolian Lions Businessmen’s Association (ASKON) emphasized in his speech that Turkey’s healthcare and wellbeing tourism potential is high and that Samsun has become a medical centre in the Black Sea region. According to him, currently 68 out of every 100 medicines are produced domestically. As a result of the development of Turkey’s pharmaceutical industry, the country’s exports exceeded imports, and exports took the lead at 55%.

At the same time, Turkiye is the 3rd largest producer of the medical equipment and supplies in the world and the profit to be generated from the healthcare and wellbeing is estimated at circa 100 billion Turkish Lira.

” Having reached its centenary, Turkiye is one of the leaders. Mr. Orhan Aydın stressed that “the health turnaround program starts in 2023″.

During the speech, Mr. Ruslan Guliyev, the Chairman of the Tourism and Service Commission of the Azerbaijan Confederation of Entrepreneurs, presented a commemorative plaque to the Samsun Mayor Mr. Mustafa Demir on behalf of the Azerbaijani delegation and the President of the Azerbaijan Entrepreneurs Confederation, Mr Mammad Musayev.

Mustafa Demir, in turn, expressed his gratitude and conveyed his deep affinity and greetings to the brotherly people of Azerbaijan. In particular, he emphasized the fact that Samsun and Sumgayit are sister cities.

Mr. Ruslan Guliyev, the president of the Azerbaijani Health and Thermal Tourism Support Association said that the Azerbaijanian delegation comprised of a significant number of members visited the Black Sea region. Mr. Guliyev said that “the main objective is to ensure the continuity of relationship”, and emphasized that Azerbaijan and Turkey have opportunities to mutually attract tourists in the field of health tourism.

To that end, he especially noted the role of logistics of passengers by various means of passenger transport such as coaches and railway trains as well as the opening of Samsun-Baku direct flights, which will boost the flow of health and medical tourism.