Forbes Middle East has wrapped up the second edition of the Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai in partnership with American Hospital Dubai.
Over two days, the Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit hosted more than 100 speakers and brought together experts, specialists, economic leaders, and decision-makers from the region and the world for discussions and knowledge exchange on the future of health and wellness.
The Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit highlighted the region’s rising stature as a global destination for healthcare and a leading hub for innovation in medical tourism. Forbes Middle East has partnered with a distinguished group of partners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Tourism and with American Hospital Dubai as the presenting partner.
Sessions at Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit 2nd edition
The Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit featured over 20 panel discussions covering the latest advances in mental, nutritional, and physical health, along with integrated wellness solutions.
These discussions were anchored in six major themes, including the UAE National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, which aims to position the UAE as a global leader in wellbeing in alignment with We the UAE 2031 and UAE Centennial 2071.
HE Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, joined the opening session of the Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit, emphasizing the growing importance of this promising sector and its role in strengthening the national economy and enhancing the UAE’s global competitiveness.
Mishal Karim Julfar, Executive Director of Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services, also participated alongside a distinguished group of experts, enriching the discussions with strategic insights on the future of wellbeing.
HE Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri UAE Minister – Economy and Tourism
“The UAE continues to advance a tourism model built on value-driven experiences in wellbeing, medical treatment, and preventive care, reflecting the leadership’s vision of placing people at the heart of development, and creating an integrated environment where healthcare, tourism, and technology come together.”
HE Bin Touq noted that tourism today represents a central pillar of the UAE economy, contributing 13 percent of GDP, generating $70 billion, and supporting over 900,000 jobs, a testament to the strength of the national tourism ecosystem and its ability to meet traveler expectations worldwide.
The minister noted that the UAE has welcomed nearly 30 million visitors in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, hotels hosted over 23 million guests, logging 79.3 million room nights and occupancy above 79 percent. These results underline growing global confidence in the UAE’s tourism sector and support its push to become a leading healthcare and medical tourism hub.
His Excellency further stated that the future of medical tourism will be driven by AI, advanced diagnostics, and telehealth, ensuring seamless and trusted care.
Image credits: Forbes Middle East | Cropped by GBN
Khuloud Al Omian, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Middle East, said that, “The UAE continues to reinforce its global leadership in medical tourism and wellness through a vision that places people at the centre of development. Health and wellbeing are essential for every individual, not merely services, but a core part of a balanced and healthy lifestyle.”
She added that the Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit served as a platform to highlight the integrated partnerships across multiple sectors and showcased the UAE’s ability to build a strong wellbeing ecosystem supported by world-class infrastructure and a clear, forward-looking vision.
Image credits: Forbes Middle East | Cropped by GBN
The Medical Tourism and Wellness Summit came to conclusion by underscoring the importance of strengthening cooperation between the public and private sectors, continuing knowledge exchange, and developing innovative solutions that respond to growing global demand for medical tourism, further solidifying Dubai and the UAE as leading global centres in this vital sector.
