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Arabs spend $27b per year on health tourism

Dubai - "Health tourism is an industry that's vastly developing in the Arab countries due to different factors."

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Health tourism is one of the fastest growing industries with a yearly spend of $100 billion. Arabs contribute more than 25 per cent of the total world spending in health tourism, according to an industry specialist.
This was disclosed on the occasion of the forthcoming World Health Tourism Congress (WHTC). Dubai will host the 10th edition of the Congress in September for the second consecutive year.
The event will be held with the support of the Arab Tourism Organisation and GCC Council of Health Ministers.
The WHTC will be held in Dubai Health Care City. The Congress will host ministers of health and tourism of Arab countries. By the end of the Congress, Dubai will issue a declaration for health tourism development.
The organisers said participants will be attending from over 80 countries from the Arabian Gulf, Asia, Africa and Europe.
Dr Bandar bin Fahd Al Fehaid, president of the ATO, said health tourism is becoming one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Over $100 billion is being spent yearly on health tourism, of which Arabs account for $27 billion, he said.
"Health tourism is an industry that's vastly developing in the Arab countries due to different factors, mainly the natural resources and the infrastructure found in our countries in addition to our human resources. We're competing with several established destinations in Europe and Asia. The future of health tourism in the Arab countries promises to be very bright."
- abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com

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