The International Medical Tourism Association, a non-profit organization based in the United States, estimates that the global medical tourism market exceeds $100 billion and grows at a rate of 15% to 25% annually, depending on destinations and investments from both governments and healthcare providers.
Jonathan Edelheit, President and Co-founder of the Medical Tourism Association, stated that the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates are highly unique destinations for medical tourism. He pointed out that the Middle East spends over $10 billion on outbound travel (within the Gulf Cooperation Council countries or to the United States, the United Kingdom, or Europe), making it an internal destination for medical tourism as well. Edelheit emphasized that the Middle East, in general, and the UAE, in particular, have a significant opportunity to capture a substantial share of the medical tourism market. Additionally, he mentioned that Saudi Arabia is about to launch a very large initiative in this field.
He added, “The Middle East could become a $20 billion inbound medical tourism market in the future, thanks to investment that enhances the quality of care.