Forbes Middle East Medical Tourism And Wellness Summit 2023 Concludes With Key Insights On Healthcare Innovation

The second edition of the Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit, organised by Forbes Middle East, took place on 9th–10th December at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. In collaboration with American Hospital Dubai, the event gathered over 100 speakers, including experts and decision-makers from around the globe. The summit focused on discussions about the future of health and wellness, highlighting the region's growing reputation as a global healthcare destination.

Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, participated in the opening session. He emphasised the sector's importance in boosting the national economy and enhancing UAE’s global competitiveness. Bin Touq stated, "The UAE continues to advance a tourism model built on value-driven experiences in wellbeing, medical treatment, and preventive care." This approach reflects leadership’s vision of integrating healthcare, tourism, and technology.

Tourism is a key pillar of the UAE economy, contributing 13% to GDP and generating $70 billion. It supports over 900,000 jobs, showcasing the strength of its tourism ecosystem. In 2024, nearly 30 million visitors were welcomed by the UAE. During the first nine months of 2025 alone, hotels hosted more than 23 million guests with an occupancy rate exceeding 79%, indicating rising global confidence.

Mishal Karim Julfar from Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services joined other experts to provide strategic insights into wellbeing's future. Discussions at the summit explored mental, nutritional, and physical wellbeing developments through over 20 panel sessions. These were centred around six themes including the UAE National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031.

Sherif Beshara from Mohamed & Obaid AlMulla Group noted Dubai’s ambition to become a leading medical tourism hub. "Dubai has demonstrated that greatness is built through vision and action," he said. The city aims for excellence by breaking boundaries to establish itself as a prominent destination globally.

The summit also highlighted integrated partnerships across sectors that support a strong wellbeing ecosystem in the UAE. Khuloud Al Omian of Forbes Middle East remarked on how these collaborations align with UAE’s vision for comprehensive wellbeing beyond just treatment.

Future Prospects

The future of medical tourism will rely on systems powered by AI and telehealth solutions for seamless experiences. The UAE plans to strengthen partnerships further while fostering an innovative ecosystem meeting modern travellers' needs. This aligns with efforts to position itself as a global leader in healthcare innovation.

Al Omian added that health and wellbeing are not merely services but essential parts of a balanced lifestyle. The summit served as a platform for knowledge exchange and recognising progress-driving efforts in this vital sector.

This distinguished gathering underscores Dubai’s role as an innovation centre in medical tourism shaping health and wellbeing's future regionally and internationally.

With inputs from WAM