Dubai’s Medical Tourism Strategy Is Changing Fast as Rare-Disease Patients Seek Gene Therapy and Specialist Care

Specialised care for rare and complicated conditions is driving Medical Value Tourism to Dubai, with patients and their families seeking treatments not available in their home countries.

This kind of tourism redefines the concept of medical tourism. Prior to, the main reason for medical tourism was traveling for the purpose of undergoing a medical procedure at a lower cost. Currently, persons with rare conditions are concerned with other aspects of medical care such as the level of expertise and specialization, the available equipment and technology, and integrated care.

Of major importance is Dubai’s air connectivity to different destinations, and the rapid development of complementary infrastructure, health and tourism industries.

These made it possible for the healthcare industry to integrate medicine with other allied services.

Why are rare-disease patients travelling to Dubai?

For patients with complex genetic conditions, the availability of a particular therapy can determine where treatment takes place.

Medcare Hospitals Group says it has treated 280 international patients with two rare genetic disorders, including 225 patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and 55 with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). According to the supplied information, these patients have travelled from more than 30 countries across the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

The hospital group says international patients are also travelling to its Dubai facilities for specialised treatment across oncology, cardiac sciences, neurosurgery, gene therapy, rare disorders, orthopaedics and spine care.

This indicates a broader change in medical travel, where the availability of specialised clinical capabilities can become more important than geographical proximity alone.

How is gene therapy changing Dubai’s medical tourism market?

Gene therapy is becoming an increasingly important component of the UAE’s advanced healthcare proposition.

Medcare says it recently became the first hospital outside the United States to administer a newly licensed intrathecal gene therapy to an adult patient with SMA, according to the supplied report.

The patient, a 22-year-old Egyptian man, travelled to Dubai for the one-time treatment after spending much of his life dependent on a wheelchair.

Another case involved a six-year-old Turkish patient, Cinar Atar, who travelled with his family to Dubai for DMD gene therapy because the treatment was not available in Turkey.

Such cases illustrate how access to specialised therapies can influence international healthcare travel. For families managing rare diseases, the decision to travel may centre on whether an appropriate treatment pathway exists rather than on conventional medical-tourism considerations such as price.

What is medical value tourism?

Medical value tourism extends the traditional medical tourism model by considering the entire healthcare journey, rather than treatment costs alone.

For rare-disease patients, that journey can include specialist clinical expertise, access to advanced technology, regulatory approvals, multidisciplinary teams, travel connectivity and continuity of care.

Dr Shanila Laiju, Group CEO of Medcare Hospitals, has described this as an increasingly important distinction for Dubai.

The proposition is therefore not simply about attracting patients to a destination. It is about creating an ecosystem in which specialised healthcare can be accessed alongside the infrastructure required for international families to travel, stay and receive continuing medical support.

How does Dubai’s connectivity support international patients?

Dubai’s global air connectivity is an important component of its medical tourism proposition.

Patients who might previously have considered travelling to destinations such as the United States for highly specialised treatment may be able to access certain therapies closer to their home regions.

The emirate’s international airport network, tourism infrastructure and established hospitality sector can support patients and accompanying family members during potentially lengthy treatment journeys.

For rare-disease cases, where families may need to remain in the destination for several weeks, the wider ecosystem becomes particularly relevant.

How long do rare-disease patients stay in Dubai?

Rare-disease medical travel can involve considerably longer stays than conventional procedures.

According to Medcare, international patients can spend one to two months in the UAE, although the duration depends on the individual case and treatment pathway.

The process can begin before the patient leaves home. Teleconsultations allow medical teams to assess patients and determine whether they may be eligible for treatment.

Once a clinical assessment has been completed, dedicated teams can assist with elements of the international patient journey.

Medcare’s international-patient services include medical second opinions, virtual consultations, treatment planning, visa and travel assistance, accommodation support, multilingual services and a dedicated point of contact.

Complex treatments can also require multiple medical specialities, making multidisciplinary coordination a central part of the care pathway.

Is cost the main reason patients choose Dubai?

Cost remains an important consideration in medical travel, but it is not necessarily the deciding factor for patients seeking highly specialised treatments.

Gene therapies can be extremely expensive, and treatment costs vary substantially depending on the disease, therapy and patient eligibility.

For families dealing with rare diseases, other considerations can include accessibility, clinical expertise, continuity of care and the overall healthcare journey.

Some international patients may also depend on crowdfunding or charitable organisations to finance treatment, highlighting the significant financial burden associated with advanced therapies.

As a result, simple comparisons between the cost of treatment in Dubai and another country may not fully reflect the economic reality faced by patients.

How is the UAE building advanced healthcare capabilities?

Dubai’s development is part of a broader UAE effort to strengthen capabilities in rare-disease treatment, genomic medicine and gene therapy.

Medcare is one of several healthcare organisations developing specialised services in this area. Fakeeh University Hospital in Dubai has positioned gene therapy among its advanced genomic medicine capabilities, while Aster Hospitals provides international-patient services that include rare genetic conditions and gene therapies for SMA and DMD.

Dubai Health’s Al Jalila Children’s Hospital has also operated an SMA gene-therapy programme since 2020.

The development extends beyond Dubai. In Abu Dhabi, M42 and PureHealth have been involved in gene-therapy research and manufacturing capabilities focused on rare diseases, while Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has been involved in a UAE-first gene-therapy clinical trial for a rare inherited eye disease.

Together, these developments point towards a wider national effort to build specialist healthcare capabilities rather than relying solely on conventional medical tourism.

What role does regulation play in the UAE’s medical tourism strategy?

Regulatory access can be particularly significant for patients seeking newly available therapies.

According to the supplied report, the UAE’s proactive approach to approving breakthrough gene therapies has been identified as one factor supporting its position in advanced healthcare.

Early access to specialised therapies can influence where patients seek treatment, particularly when the same treatment is unavailable or not yet accessible in their home market.

The combination of regulatory frameworks, international medical expertise and advanced hospital technology is therefore becoming part of the UAE’s healthcare proposition.

How big could the UAE medical tourism market become?

The UAE’s medical tourism sector is projected to expand significantly over the coming years.

According to market research cited in the supplied report from Custom Marketing Insights, the UAE medical tourism market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.7 per cent between 2024 and 2033, rising from a projected US$1.09 billion in 2024 to US$2.3 billion by 2033.

The figures point to expanding demand for healthcare travel, although market projections are estimates rather than guaranteed outcomes.

For Dubai, the opportunity extends beyond conventional procedures to specialised areas where access to expertise and technology can influence international patient decisions.

What could Dubai do next to attract more rare-disease patients?

The next stage could involve making the complete international healthcare journey more accessible and affordable.

Measures suggested by Medcare include support for airfares and travel, further streamlining of medical visa processes and preferential hotel rates for patients who need to remain in Dubai for weeks or months.

Greater international awareness is another potential area for development. Specialist medical capabilities may have limited value for international patients if they are unaware that the treatments and clinical teams are available in the UAE.

Improving awareness among patients, physicians and international healthcare networks could therefore become an important part of Dubai’s strategy.

Could Dubai become a regional hub for complex medical care?

The growing number of international patients seeking rare-disease treatment, combined with developments in gene therapy and genomic medicine, is positioning Dubai within a changing global healthcare landscape.

The emerging model combines specialised medical expertise, advanced treatment technology, international connectivity, regulatory access and tourism infrastructure.

For families dealing with rare and complex diseases, the destination decision can depend on whether a specific treatment and clinical team are available.

That distinction is helping move Dubai’s medical tourism proposition beyond conventional treatment travel towards a broader model of medical value tourism, in which the quality, accessibility and continuity of the entire healthcare journey become central to the decision.