BackIn 2022, Dubai experienced exceptional growth in its medical tourism sector, attracting 674,000 medical tourists who spent a total of $270 million (Dhs992 million), reflecting an increase of Dhs262 million from the previous year. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) report indicated that 39% of these medical tourists originated from Asian countries, 22% from Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and 21% from Arab and GCC countries.
Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, DHA's director general, attributed this growth to Dubai's ability to provide high-quality, patient-centric medical care, reinforcing its status as a prominent healthcare destination in the Arab, regional, and international arena. Dubai's strategic location, safety, outstanding infrastructure, and world-class amenities are additional factors that contribute to its reputation as a medical tourism hub.
The most sought-after specialties among medical tourists included dermatology (31%), dentistry (24%), and gynaecology (18%). Visitors from Asia, Europe, and Africa, including those from GCC and Arab countries, sought treatment in Dubai for orthopaedics, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, fertility treatments, hospitalisation, and recovery.
Al Ketbi highlighted that Dubai's vision of offering an integrated, world-class healthcare model encompassing cutting-edge facilities, advanced technologies, smart solutions, state-of-the-art treatment methods, and highly-qualified professionals across all medical fields has enhanced its global competitiveness in the healthcare sector.
The DHA remains committed to attracting investments in healthcare by partnering with prestigious international healthcare institutions to establish facilities capable of meeting the increasing demand for treatment across various specialties.
In terms of general tourism, Dubai welcomed 14.36 million international overnight visitors in 2022, representing a 97% year-on-year increase from the 7.28 million tourists recorded in 2021. The city's inbound visitors in 2022 reached 86% of its pre-pandemic levels. According to state news agency WAM, arrivals to the Middle East reached 83% in comparison.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, praised Dubai's rapid acceleration of tourism growth, which positions the emirate as a frontrunner in the international industry. The notable increase in international visitation in 2022 aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda D33's ambitious objective to double the size of the emirate's economy by 2033.
Despite global tourist travel in 2022 being 37% lower than in 2019, as revealed by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Dubai has emerged as a clear leader in the tourism industry, as noted by Helal Saeed Almarri, director general of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism.
Almarri attributed Dubai's continuous growth to the unwavering support of stakeholders and partners, strategic investments, and federal policy reforms that have attracted global entrepreneurs, talent, investors, and business and leisure travellers.
The Middle East's tourism and business hub drew significant visitors from stronghold markets, with Western Europe and GCC regions each accounting for 21% of arrivals. South Asia contributed 17% of the total volume, while 12% of visitors came from the MENA region. The Americas made up 7% of arrivals, and the North Asia, South East Asia, and Africa regions each contributed 5%. Australasia represented 2% of total arrivals.
