Dubai Considering Easing Visa Formalities for Medical Tourists

Dubai in a bid to boost its medical tourism is planning to ease its visa procurement for medical tourists only.

Dr. Layla Al Marzouqi, Director of Health Regulation and Dubai Medical Tourism Project has said that it is important smoothen medical tourism visa to elevate medical tourism. A total number of 1.3 million medical tourists are expected to visit Dubai in 2021, according to a Dubai Health Authority (DHA) report.

In 2015, 630,831 medical tourists visited Dubai’s 26 hospitals, out of which 332,472 came from within the UAE and 298,359 (46 percent) came from abroad.

The UAE earned revenue of Dh1, 004,930,535 from medical tourists abroad in 2015, with the figure expected to increase by 13 percent in the next five years, said the Dubai-based news portal.

This means that by 2021 a 1,313,360 medical tourists are expected to visit Dubai out of which 692,191 are internal and 621,169 will come from abroad.

A report by the Dubai statistic center revealed that the majority of the tourists who visited Dubai for medical treatment in 2015 came from Asian countries (43 percent), 29 percent came from the GCC, 15 percent came from European countries, seven percent came from African countries and five per cent came from America.

Most of the tourists sought treatment for osteoporosis, fertility, dermatology and plastic surgery.

The Dubai Health Experience (DXH) group was formed with 25 members— consisting of medical facilities in Dubai and other partners offering logistic services— who will provide their services to medical tourists.

Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of DHA commended Emirates Airlines, the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai Statistic Center and General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs for their support.

DXH also collaborated with Dubai Statistic Center in compiling medical tourism statistics from Dubai’s 26 hospitals, the report said.