Dubai Medical Tourism on the Rise – DHA

Dubai’s healthcare industry has emerged as one of the most critical sectors in recent times. The government initiatives to promote the healthcare industry have significantly improved the number of medical tourists visiting the Emirates and have in turn contributed by boosting tourism as well the economy.

A report published by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) suggested that the Emirate attracted 337,000 international medical tourists by the end of 2018 and they are expected to reach 500,000 by 2021. The authorities also estimated that the revenue generated from medical tourism reached Dh 12 billion (USD 3.3 billion) by the end of 2018 with a growth rate of 5.5 percent compared to the previous year.

Dubai Medical Tourism – Performance

The majority of the international medical tourists that visit Dubai are from Gulf and Middle Eastern countries estimated to be approximately one-third of the total medical tourists. Followed by the Gulf and Middle Eastern countries, medical tourists from Asian countries such as India, Pakistan and Iran comprise of nearly 30 percent of the medical tourists.

The Dubai Health Authority published that more than Dh 1.2 billion (USD 330 million) of the total medical tourism value was generated from three major segments; i) dentistry, ii) orthopedics and iii) dermatology. Dentistry was the most popular among medical tourists, with more than 46 percent of them visiting Dubai for dental treatments. The orthopedics were around 18 percent while 10 percent was for dermatology. Other medical treatments such as wellness, aesthetics and fertility treatments are also popular with international medical tourists.

Investment Opportunities 

The Dubai government is actively involving the private sector to improve the performance of the healthcare industry. Public-private partnerships are being promoted, mandatory insurance coverage is rolled out and private players are being encouraged to set up facilities. The sector is also undergoing a structural shift as a younger, more health-conscious population is seeking preventive care rather than curative care. With the government backing investors in the Dubai healthcare industry and the growing number of medical tourists, it provides an ideal platform for investment.

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