The UAE, known for its shopping and dining, should also be marketed as a wellness destination, according to experts working in the spa and wellness industry.
Speaking to Hotelier Middle East during an Arabian Travel Market roundtable, Jeson Mathai, head of tourism & regional general manager GCC, Al Tayyar Travel Group, said: “Dubai is known more as a shopping destination and we need to make tourists more aware of the [other] products that we have.”
Quintessentially Travel head of operations & business development Lola Vogiatiz agreed and said that Dubai Healthcare City was marketed well, and now it’s time for Dubai and the UAE to capitalise on the wellness opportunity.
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Paul Hawco, director of Talise Spa operations, Talise Wellness, Jumeirah Group said that the market is still in its infancy as far as being recognised as a destination for spa and wellness. He added: “It's a collective effort. We have to come together for the greater good of the destination, branding it or working closely with your departments to elevate it. We do a lot of great things, but it doesn't reach international wider audience individually; it has to be a collective effort.”
He added that it was important to promote and package the destination as a wellness haven, with support from government agencies.
Co-operating with airlines was also brought up, and Arnold D’Souza, corporate account manager, Cozmo Travel, said that companies such as Emirates had done a great job with promoting Dubai for its shopping, and that working with regional airlines to promote medical and wellness tourism would assist the destination.
Find the full roundtable report in the February 2017 issue of Hotelier Middle East.
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