The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance Dubai’s position in the global medical tourism market. This collaboration aims to establish Dubai as a leading destination for healthcare, quality of life, and overall happiness.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority, signed the MoU in the presence of several officials and experts from both sides.
The MoU outlines cooperation between the two sides, focusing on enhancing competitiveness, operational efficiency, and transparency in healthcare while adhering to high global standards. The initiative promotes innovation in healthcare and aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, aiming to strengthen Dubai’s status as a premier destination for business and leisure. This effort seeks to make Dubai an ideal place to visit, live, and work, while boosting its global economic and tourism competitiveness and reinforcing its role as a hub for economy, trade, logistics, and investment.
Helal Almarri, stated, “In line with the ambitious vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism is committed to developing partnerships and agreements that contribute to enhancing collaboration among various entities to achieve the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33. This will elevate the city’s status as we consolidate our position as a leading global destination for business and leisure, and fulfill the leadership’s vision of making the city the best place in the world to visit, live, and work in.”
He added, “We look forward to working together to attract investments for pioneering projects in the healthcare sector, host major global medical conferences and meetings, and make Dubai the preferred destination for travellers seeking top-quality services.”
Awadh Al Ketbi said, “Dubai’s geographical location at the heart of the world, its immense capabilities, and its rapid and remarkable achievements across various fields and levels have all enhanced Dubai’s international standing and its ongoing progress, particularly in the global healthcare arena where it occupies a prominent position.”
He added, “Dubai has leveraged all its resources, including advanced infrastructure, technology, smart solutions, systems, legislation, and facilitation, to create promising investment opportunities in the healthcare sector and provide a secure healthcare environment. This, in turn, has attracted a significant number of international hospitals and leading specialised centres to choose Dubai as their base, as well as individuals seeking a high quality of life and well-being.”
A recent report by the Dubai Health Authority highlights remarkable growth in medical tourism in the emirate in 2023, with a surge in international patients seeking world-class treatment and a significant increase in spending on healthcare services.
The report revealed that Dubai attracted 691,478 medical tourists from around the world last year, with their healthcare expenditures surpassing AED1.034 billion – outperforming 2022 figures when 674,000 medical tourists spent AED992 million.
In addition, the indirect revenues from medical tourism last year exceeded AED2.305 billion, fueling significant contributions to Dubai’s GDP by driving growth across key sectors such as aviation, hotels, hospitality, telecommunications, and beyond. These results underscore Dubai’s role as a vital global hub for medical tourism and a major catalyst for broader economic development.
