A CROSS-NATIONAL ANALYSIS OF HEALTH TOURISM EDUCATION INSIGHTS FROM TURKEY AND KAZAKHSTAN

Abstract

This study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of health tourism education in Türkiye and Kazakhstan. Within this scope, departments related to health tourism at universities in both countries were examined, and their curricula were analyzed in detail. By comparing the content of the education programs, the structure, scope, and practical aspects of health tourism education were evaluated. Based on the findings, similarities and differences in health tourism education between the two countries were identified, and the academic strengths and areas in need of development were determined. It was observed that Türkiye has a more established and practice-oriented approach to health tourism education, while Kazakhstan is in the process of developing its programs with recent initiatives in the field. As a result of the study, several recommendations were proposed to enhance the quality of health tourism education in both countries. These suggestions focus on ensuring standardization in education, increasing practical training opportunities, and fostering international cooperation. The research ultimately aims to contribute to improving the quality of human resources in the field of health tourism.