ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Abu Dhabi is set to host the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress (WMTC) for the first time, when the influential industry conference brings its 12th edition to the UAE capital from October 15-17. The Medical Tourism Association’s annual conference, which took place in the United States for the last 11 years, is making its first appearance outside of North America.
WMTC Abu Dhabi - organised by Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau, a part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in collaboration with the Department of Health Abu Dhabi, - will bring together representatives from the top hospitals, insurance companies, payers, Government ministries and other industry players from more than 90 countries. The 2019 event will focus on China and Russia, as well as GCC nations such as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and other Middle East (MENA) countries and Northern Africa.
The first day of the event will feature the Ministerial Summit, hospital site tours and an all-day workshop event for industry insiders. The final two days of the Congress will feature keynote speeches and three educational sessions.
“Medical tourists can spend weeks in their destination, typically alongside family members,” said Jonathan Edelheit, Chairman and Co-Founder of the Medical Tourism Association (MTA) and WMTC Abu Dhabi. “As a result, medical travel and health tourism can have a big economic impact on the entire tourism sector.”
HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “We are proud to partner with the Medical Tourism Association to bring the World Medical Tourism & Global Healthcare Congress to Abu Dhabi, a move in line with our strategy to transform the emirate into a world-class healthcare hub. As an area with huge growth potential, the medical tourism sector is one of our primary focuses at the moment, an avenue through which we seek to further fuel the dynamic growth of the capital, in sync with the United Arab Emirates’ economic diversification plan.
“Abu Dhabi has all the necessary infrastructure to become one of the most popular medical tourism destinations in the world, offering world-class medical care and facilities alongside diverse cultural, retail and leisure attractions, all in a safe, secure and family-friendly destination. We are confident that the emirate can provide the best possible care and experience not only for patients but also their families and carers.”
Medical tourism is a key factor in the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision initiative, which aims to establish the Emirate of Abu Dhabi among the most preferred destinations in the world.
HE Mohamed Al Hameli, Undersecretary of Department of Health Abu Dhabi said: “Abu Dhabi offers ease of access to world-renowned doctors, high quality, world-class healthcare services and state-of-the-art medical infrastructure, facilities and treatments. The Department of Health has invested heavily in creating an attractive medical tourism hub, and together with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, we have launched a Medical Tourism Portal that provides a one-stop-shop for everything that is needed by a medical tourist. With our collaboration we are determined to become the preeminent medical tourism hub in the region.”
The theme of this year’s conference is “Breaking Down Barriers” and with Abu Dhabi’s central location and ease of access, this year’s WMTC will be easier than ever to attend.
“Abu Dhabi has set the foundational elements and is now in a position to evolve into a world-class healthcare destination, making us proud to be their partner on this initiative and journey,” said Edelheit. “Through the support of the Abu Dhabi government we are hosting our largest buyer programme ever, flying in more than 100 key healthcare buyers from around the globe. While there, they will conduct Abu Dhabi hospital site tours and take B2B meetings to accelerate the growth of Abu Dhabi’s medical tourism initiative.”
The World Medical Tourism & Global healthcare Congress will be the latest international event to take centre stage in the UAE capital. This year’s Congress will feature more than 100 experts and speakers, as well as networking software and a networking hall where attendees and sponsors can pre-schedule meetings during the event. Some of the featured speakers include representatives from the Department of Health Abu Dhabi and DCT Abu Dhabi, Ministry of Health Bahrain, Ministry of Health Saudi Arabia, Bupa Global, AXA, CIGNA, Aetna and Johns Hopkins.
The collaboration between the MTA and DCT Abu Dhabi has also seen the establishment of a new MTA office in the UAE capital.
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