Dubai says it is keen to receive health tourists, for a wide spectrum of medical and wellness treatments across all its public and private hospitals with the highest compliance to Covid-19 protocols. In a webinar recently organised by the Dubai Health and Tourism Department of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Dubai Health Experience (DXH) was showcased.

According to the authorities, out of a total of 3,397 health facilities licensed in the emirate, 45 were newly-established during the first half of 2020 ready to give tourists top-class medical tourism services.

They further stated that with its handling of the pandemic, Dubai had proved that it was more-than-prepared to receive tourists, especially healthcare tourists who might be coming to the emirate seeking treatment backed up by the latest technologies in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI)-supported treatment, 3D printing, cosmetic surgeries and several other sub-specialities.

Issam Kazim, the CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said that Dubai Tourism is launching a sustained marketing campaign to promote Dubai as the health and wellness destination in many countries around the world, post-COVID-19.

Prior to the pandemic, DXH had projected a footfall of about 500,000 health tourists in the emirate by 2021. The health tourism department also plans to introduce preventive and alternative health practices such as ayurveda, homoeopathy and yoga. Statistics have shown that the UAE’s wellness and spa travel market caters to both inbound as well as domestic clients, which is about 15 pc of the total tourism market.