İzmir has always had serious potential for medical and thermal tourism since prehistoric times. In the ancient era, Bergama (Pergamon)-Asclepion was the leading health center of Anatolia. In Asclepion, one of the big three health centers dedicated to Asclepius -the God of Health of Bergama (Pergamon), there is a column with the figure of two serpents which is the symbol of medicine. Galenos who has been considered the father of pharmacology treated his patients at the Asclepion of Bergama (Pergamon). The famous Asclepion Health Center of the ancient era is known as the starting point of pharmacy, the place where scientific studies, medical interventions related to human health were performed.

Some of the applied treatment methods include the interpretation of dreams by priests when faced with mental illnesses (suggestion treatment); hot, cold, and mud baths, herbal treatment, diet cures, massages with herbal oils or ointments, blood draw, sunbathing therapies, and surgical operations when necessary when faced with physical illnesses. Because today, most of the universities in İzmir have medical faculties, that there are specialist doctors and health teams in private and public hospitals accredited with international standards, that all kinds of surgical interventions and even organ transplants can be easily performed, we can say that İzmir has a great potential in health tourism and the medical sector in Türkiye grows rapidly. Also, there is great governmental support in the field of health tourism. Some of the hospitals in Izmir have international connections and all kinds of services relating to the treatment, transportation, and accommodation of patients brought from abroad within the scope of health tourism are offered together as a package.

Giving health tourism prominence will improve tourism in İzmir for the better.