Beaches, bars and the burj: Is there capacity in the healthcare sector to parallel the tourist boom in the United Arab Emirates?

The tourism sector within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has experienced record growth in recent years with Dubai and Abu Dhabi seeing the largest increase in visitors respectively. However, the extent to which the health sector has developed in parallel to manage the potential health problems  of the tourists remains unknown.

Ideally located as a gateway to the Middle East and Asia for countries from both the West and East, combined with a bold strategic policy for economic diversification, the UAE tourism industry has grown by approximately 17% year-on-year. In 1997 there were 344,385 visitors to the entire UAE region. In 2007 it is estimated that there were 6.8 million tourists who visited Dubai alone. Targets for 2015, project 15 million visitors to Dubai and 3 million for Abu Dhabi. Key development projects aim for a tourism transformation across each of the 7 emirates and whilst leisure, cultural and sporting attractions will bring an influx of tourists to the country, the likely impact on public health facilities and services is unclear.

Tourist ill health and the costs allied with care can and will place pressure on a healthcare system that is developing to meet the demands of an increasing expatriate community. Furthermore, tourist associated trauma from road traffic accidents, bacterial infections from swimming, over exposure to the sun, alcohol related injuries as well as other minor and major medical emergencies will undoubtedly increase pressure on both government and private healthcare facilities.

There is a paucity of research that has considered the impact on the public health services from such growth in tourism in the UAE. This paper will discuss the implications for the health sector in terms of expansion in the tourism industry across the UAE and suggest priority areas for research inquiry in this field.