THE USE OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS IN HEALTH TOURISM IN TURKEY

Year 2022, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 245 - 264, 27.07.2022

Şerife Güzel Ayşe Arı

An Erratum to this article was published on March 27, 2024. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ijhmt/issue/83822/1460034

Abstract

Aim: In recent years, the digital communication for health tourism has gained undeniable
importance in Turkey and all over the world. In tourism sector, the correct and effective use of
digital tools that emerged with the advancement of technology both provides benefits for
institutions and plays an effective role in the preferences and decisions of consumers. In this
study, it was aimed to examine the corporate websites and social media accounts of 10 private
hospitals operating in the region of Konya in Turkey, and to reach both domestic and
international health tourists. Content analysis was conducted to evaluate whether the hospitals
use social media tools effectively. In this context, general information about the hospital,
applications, trust, general risks were gathered, as well as financial information and visuals on
the website. Regarding social media accounts, the most shared contents on Instagram, retweeted
on Twitter and liked on Facebook accounts were included. According to the results of the Aim: In recent years, the digital communication for health tourism has gained undeniable
importance in Turkey and all over the world. In tourism sector, the correct and effective use of
digital tools that emerged with the advancement of technology both provides benefits for
institutions and plays an effective role in the preferences and decisions of consumers. In this
study, it was aimed to examine the corporate websites and social media accounts of 10 private
hospitals operating in the region of Konya in Turkey, and to reach both domestic and
international health tourists. Content analysis was conducted to evaluate whether the hospitals
use social media tools effectively. In this context, general information about the hospital,
applications, trust, general risks were gathered, as well as financial information and visuals on
the website. Regarding social media accounts, the most shared contents on Instagram, retweeted
on Twitter and liked on Facebook accounts were included. According to the results of the

Keywords

digital communication, health communication, health tourism

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