Dubai received 630,000 international health tourists in 2021, according to a report released by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Spending by international patients reached nearly AED730 million in the past year despite the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The report indicated that most health tourists who came to Dubai were from Asian countries, accounting for 38 percent of the total, whereas 24 percent were from Europe and 22 percent from Arab and GCC nations.

Fifty-five percent of the international health tourists were men and 45 percent were women. Almost 70 percent of treatment given to international health tourists was provided at multidisciplinary clinics, 16 percent at hospitals, and 14 percent at one-day surgery centres. The three medical specialities that attracted the most health tourists were dermatology (43 percent), dentistry (18 percent), and gynaecology (16 percent). Other medical specialities included orthopaedics, plastic surgery, ophthalmology, health and wellness, and fertility treatments.

The report presented extensive statistics regarding health tourists and medical specialities that saw high demand: The top three regions that attracted health tourists in dentistry included the Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region at 45 percent, Asia at 28 percent, and Europe at 15 percent.

The top three regions that attracted health tourists in dermatology were Asia (31 percent), Europe (27 percent) and Arab and GCC region (26 percent). The top three regions in the field of gynaecology were Asia (57 percent), Europe (15 percent) and Arab and GCC region (13 percent). The top three regions from which health tourists came for treatment in the field of orthopaedic surgery were Asia (36 percent), Europe (29 percent) and Arab and GCC region (17 percent).

The top three regions in the field of plastic surgery were Arab and GCC region (36 percent), Europe (31 percent), and Asia (14 percent). The top three regions from which health tourists came for treatment in ophthalmology were Asia at 33 percent, Arab and GCC region at 23 percent, and Africa at 18 percent. The top three regions in the field of fertility treatments were Asia (34 percent), Africa (24 percent) and Europe (19 percent).

The top three regions from which health tourists came for hospital treatments were Europe (45 percent), followed by the Arab and GCC region (25 percent) and Asia (12 percent).