Health tourism in Dubai has new safety measures

Dubai is opening to international health tourism, with new safety measures. The Department of Tourism is expecting tourism to come back quickly, and is promoting health tourism, but not yet medical tourism.

The Department of Tourism is currently seeking to raise awareness that the destination was now reopening, and is looking to convert this into concrete bookings from September onward. It has announced that spas and massage centres across the emirate can now open for business.

There are a range of new safety measures in place. Inbound tourists now have to have medical insurance, and ahead of landing in Dubai, visitors must take a PCR test up to four days (96 hours) prior to their date of travel, or if this has not been done, a PCR test will be carried out upon arrival at Dubai airports. A complete health declaration form is required from all travellers.

Throughout Dubai’s hotels, attractions, water parks, beaches, shopping malls, golf courses and restaurants, visitors will see clear guidelines being followed to ensure the well-being of all visitors and residents.

The city has been awarded the World Travel & Tourism Council Safe Travels certification, while individual hotels and spa resorts are also seeking Bureau Veritas certification.

Jumeirah Al Naseem in Dubai was apparently the first hotel in the world to receive the Bureau Veritas Safeguard label, while Sofitel Dubai the Palm was the first Accor hotel in the UAE to be receive the label. A trio of Jumeirah Group properties in Dubai have also been awarded the certification from Bureau Veritas, as has IHG’s Intercontinental Hotels. IHG has also launched a global IHG Clean Promise that further enhances the IHG Way of Clean, which already includes deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants.

Programmes launched by Dubai Tourism include a series of digital activations #Till We Meet Again and the recently launched #We Will See You Soon campaign. Dubai Tourism is also rolling out initiatives with social media and technology partners to sustain interest in Dubai as the destination of choice.