Emirates Airline has signed an agreement with Dubai Health Authority as part of plans to attract 500,000 medical tourists to the emirate by 2020.
The deal signed on the sidelines of the Arab Travel Market is aimed at using Emirates’ global travel routes to fulfil the Dubai Health Experience launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, news agency WAM reported.
In 2014, Dubai treated 135,000 medical tourists, which comprised about 1.1 percent of the total tourist arrivals in the country.

In 2015, the number was expected to reach 150,000 and will increase to 170,000 in 2016, with revenues of about AED1.1 billion.
Sheikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group and Humaid Mohammad Al Qatami, chairman and director-general of Dubai Health Authority, signed the memorandum of understanding.

As part of the MoU, Emirates Airline packages and tickets can be booked through DXH’s website www.dxh.ae, which has information of medical tourism packages, tickets and hotel booking under a single portal.
The medical services include but are not limited to surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, dental, treatments and specialized tests.

Sheikh Ahmed said: "Emirates remains committed to government and private sector initiatives that promote Dubai as a global hub for trade, tourism and sport. We are pleased to be working with DHA to make Dubai the preferred destination for medical tourism through our extensive global network covering the six continents."

Al Qatami added that signing the agreement with one of the most important airlines in the world would help the DHA would fulfill its goal to attract 500,000 medical tourists by 2020.
He also said that the MoU reflects the unlimited support of Sheikh Ahmad towards the authorities’ projects and objectives stressing that Sheikh Ahmad’s support is considered an important incentive to the success of the project.