The Growing Health and Wellness Trend in Dubai
One of the themes of Expo 2020, hosted in Dubai was health and wellness and how we can create a healthier, happier world. This included:
- Striking a balance – giving mental and physical wellness equal worth in caregiving systems
- Creating a culture of care – acknowledging the role of communities in nurturing healthier, happier societies
- Rising to the challenge – harnessing the power of technology for safe, accessible healthcare
Dubai Healthcare City and the Wellness Village
Dubai is committing to to these challenges by building the world’s largest Wellness Village. Roughly the size of 16 football pitches, the vision is to become internationally recognised as the go-to location of choice for quality healthcare and wellness services. The growing wellness trend in Dubai is part of Dubai Healthcare City in the Al Jadaf area.
Dubai Healthcare City, established in 2002, brings together core healthcare services, attracting the best in class global and regional names, as well as a network of businesses from hospitality to consultancies and retail outlets. The new Wellness Village, operated by WorldCare, offers environmentally friendly living spaces alongside a Wellness Centre focusing on the prevention and management of diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other physical conditions. This 19 million sq ft wellness hub and urban oasis in the waterfront Al Jadaf area is set against the calming backdrop of the historic Dubai Creek and the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary.
The hub prioritises healthy living, sustainable design, and innovative healthcare and wellness concepts from around the world. Living spaces include personalised spa and exercise facilities, while the medical services are tapping into a global trend of “preventative healthcare, taking into account local and regional healthcare demands and demographic changes.”
Wellness Infrastructure and Statistics
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Wellness Village Size | 19 million sq ft (Roughly 16 football pitches) |
| Wellness Tourism Growth | 21% in the Middle East and North Africa (focused in the UAE) |
| Tourism Impact (2015) | 1.7 million trips to the UAE, spending US$2.7bn |
A Shift Toward Holistic Health and Prevention
The concept of wellness spans more than just physical health. It includes mental and spiritual health, and incorporates more areas than traditional medicine, with a focus on holistic health. Beth McGroarty, Research Director at the Global Wellness Institute (GWI), says a key element of wellness is that it “involves personal responsibility and proactive choice, rather than waiting for sickness and reacting with procedures and pills.”
Greater use of such holistic health and prevention ideas – including by traditional medical providers – has been driven by the high growth in chronic conditions globally, such as diabetes and heart disease. Mental wellbeing is also a growing focus for wellness provision, as rates of depression and anxiety have increased. As wellness has gone global, there has been a shift towards “indigenous practices.” If you are in a place, you want to explore those local health traditions, such as spa experiences or the local food.
Dubai’s Medical Tourism Strategy
In 2014, the Dubai Health Authority launched its Dubai Medical tourism strategy, seeking to create leading elective health and wellness treatments through investment in and improvements to the quality of services. It’s since built it’s position as a global medical destination by introducing a value-based, comprehensive, integrated, and high-quality service delivery system, and to promote public and private collaboration in health care.
Luxury Wellness Destinations
Dubai: the land of seven-star hotels, endless sunshine, and – surprise – one of the most exciting wellness scenes on the planet. This city is a paradise for health-conscious travellers who want to work out, eat well, and unwind in serious style.
Siro One Za’abeel
For the wellness warrior, Siro One Za’abeel is a total game-changer. This isn’t just a hotel – it’s a high-performance retreat where you can unleash your inner athlete at the cutting-edge Fitness Lab, recover like a pro with cryotherapy, IV drips, and cupping at the Recovery Lab, and then sink into the best night’s sleep of your life.
Atlantis The Royal
Atlantis The Royal is a full-on sensory experience, boasting a world-class holistic spa, and one of the most exclusive medi-clinics in the city: AEON. This cutting-edge wellness destination fuses advanced science with time-honoured therapies, offering everything from stem cell therapy and functional medicine to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, cold laser treatments, and bespoke female wellness programmes.