Yaşar DEMİR*
SamsunTraining and Research Hospital, Samsun, Türkiye, e-mail: mszydsimal@gmail.com
Erhan DAĞ
Kütahya Health Sciences University, Gediz Vocational School, Kütahya, Türkiye, e-mail: erhan.dag@ksbu.edu.tr
Zeynep AYDIN KILINÇ
Alanya District Directorate of Health, Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye, e-mail: dtzeynepaydinkilinc@gmail.com
Pınar KARAKUŞ
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Graduate School of Education, Alanya, Antalya, Türkiye, e-mail: pinaar_oruc@hotmail.com
Saliha ÖZPINAR
Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Alanya,
Antalya, Türkiye, e-mail: salihaozpinar@gmail.com
Abstract
The aim of this study is to reveal the effects of word-of-mouth marketing, hospital social media accounts, user social media accounts, hospital advertisements and price policy on hospital brand image from the perspective of medical tourists visiting Türkiye. Data were gathered using English, Arabic, and Turkish questionnaires from 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023. There is a strong and positive relationship between hospital brand image, word-of-mouth communication (WOM), hospital social media use, social media accounts of followers, hospital advertisements (r>0.500, p<0.01). Hospital brand image is influenced by word-of-mouth communication (WOM), hospital social media use, social media accounts of followers, hospital advertisements and price perception (p<0.05). As a result of the study, it was determined that social media use and marketing activities were the most important predictors in the formation of hospital brand image.
Keywords: Medical Tourism, Hospital Brand Image, WOM, Social Media, Samsun, Türkiye
Cite: Demir, Y., Dağ, E., Aydın Kılınç, Z., Karakuş, P., & Özpinar, S. (2024). HOSPITAL BRAND IMAGE AND DETERMINANTS IN MEDICAL TOURISM: THE CASE OF SAMSUN. Geojournal of Tourism and Geosites, 53(2), 413–420. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.53204-1216
