UAE ranks first among GCC countries in medical tourism

  • Date: 14-Sep-2020
  • Source: Emirates Business
  • Sector:Tourism
  • Country:UAE
  • Who else needs to know?

UAE ranks first among GCC countries in medical tourism

Dubai / WAMThe UAE ranked first among GCC countries in best medical tourism destination globally according to the US-based Medical Tourism Association. Oman ranked second and Bahrain came in at third, while Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were placed fourth and sixth respectively. The ranking in the index is based on a variety of factors, Association said and added that these factors included the destination environment, patient experience, current levels of medical tourism, and the attractiveness of traditional tourism. The value of the medical tourism market was about $15.5 billion in 2017, and it is expected to grow to S$28 billion by the end of 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of about 8.8 percent between 2018 and 2024. According to the International Medical Travel Journal, global medical tourism spends