Dubai Envisions Becoming a Leading Medical Tourism Choice

Dubai healthcare officials have outlined their vision of becoming one of the world's most popular medical tourism destinations.

The Dubai medical tourism project initiative involves both the public and private health sectors, as well as various government entities such as the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the Department of Economic Development, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA; UAE), the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, and Dubai HealthCare City (UAE). In terms of services, the authority will focus on orthopedic and sports medicine, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, dental procedures, dermatology, preventive health check-ups, and wellness and skin care services.

The first phase of the initiative, which will run until 2016, will see the launch of a dedicated internet portal for medical tourism, with special medical tourism packages to be promoted in international markets. A second phase, which will be in effect until 2020, will aim to further develop facilities and branding to put Dubai firmly on the global medical tourism map. The target markets for the initiative will be Russia, The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), South Asia, and the neighboring Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

“We are focusing on developing Dubai's medical tourism initiatives. The aim of the strategy is to ensure Dubai features among the top medical tourism destinations around the world,” said Engineer Essa Al Maidoor, director-general of the Dubai Health Authority. “We have carefully selected health services to be promoted taking quality and prices into consideration to attract tourists to the emirate.”

“Dubai aims to build on its growing tourism market and its health sector which currently features about 2,500 facilities, with more than 70% internationally accredited, “said Ramadan Ibrahim, MD, director of the DHA health regulation department and director of the medical tourism project. “All these factors will help drive the medical tourism initiative.”

Dubai is investing heavily in developing the medical tourism sector, revamping the emirate’s Rashid hospital, as well as opening three new hospitals and 40 health centers. The number of medical tourists who visited Dubai in 2012 totaled 107,000, with revenues reaching USD 177.5 million. By 2016, medical tourists are expected to rise to 170,000 and generate revenues of USD 300 million, with the eventual goal being 500,000 medical tourists by 2020, bringing to Dubai USD 700 million in revenues.

Dubai also hosted the 2nd edition of the International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference (IMTEC; Dubai, UAE) during March 2014, with over 100 exhibitors and 2,000 attendees representing the global medical travel industry.

Related Links:
Dubai Health Authority
Dubai HealthCare City
International Medical Travel Exhibition and Conference