Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence, which recently opened its doors in Switzerland, plans to target the UAE as a source market for medical tourism.

In 2017, Switzerland saw an increase in tourism from the UAE, with overnights increasing by 4 per cent to 340,000. The Head of Switzerland Tourism revealed the UAE is the biggest source market in the Gulf region.

Speaking in an interview, Martin Nydeggar, CEO, of Switzerland Tourism, said: “At the moment, it’s (medical tourism) less than 10 per cent [of total visits to Switzerland]. That’s why we see so much potential and opportunity to grow. We’re looking at the UAE because we already have substantial clientele who come to visit Switzerland.”

According to a report from the Global Wellness Institute, Germany is the largest wellness tourism market in Europe, attracting $60 billion in spending in 2015. In comparison, Switzerland drew $12 billion in wellness spending.

Nydeggar added: “I think the tourism attraction of Switzerland is significantly higher than Germany’s. Together with the Alps, the meadows, and our tourism assets, this is going to work to our advantage. We’re trying to bring together the combination of the Swiss assets with the Swiss medical facilities.”

To help carry this vision forward, the hotel has appointed Honorary Professor Dr Verena Briner as the new medical director, effective March 15.

The Waldhotel runs an outpatient Medical Centre and an in-patient Rehabilitation Clinic with a mandate outlined by the Canton of Nidwalden – one of the 26 territorial divisions of Switzerland.  

This appointment comes as Switzerland unveiled plans to target the UAE as a source market for medical tourism.

“With the appointment of Professor Dr Verena Briner, we have succeeded in gaining an internationally recognised and renowned doctor and scientist for the directorship of the Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence. Verena has made her name as a long-standing consultant and head of the Medicine Department of the Lucerne Cantonal Hospital (LUKS), as a member of the hospital's management, as well as a scientific advisor there,” said Bruno H. Schöpfer, managing director of the Bürgenstock Selection.

Dr Briner is replacing Dr Michael Brabetz, who as medical director, successfully opened the Medical Centre and the Rehabilitation Clinic at the Waldhotel. Today, the clinic demonstrates considerable multidisciplinary expertise and is appropriately recognised for this – for example, it is included on the Canton of Nidwalden hospital list.

The Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence has been officially open since the middle of December 2017. The focus of this five-star hotel is on medical services and services designed to promote health that are integrated into exclusive hotel and spa offers. A multidisciplinary team of doctors, therapists and nursing specialists looks after the health and well-being of the guests. Services include diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation services that are supplemented by a variety of preventative programmes in the following areas:

• Diagnostic & Medical Check-up
• Mobility & Activity
• Weight Management & Metabolism
• Body & Mind Balance
• Beauty & Healthy Ageing
• In-patient care in the fields of Musculoskeletal, Internal Medical and Psychosomatic Rehabilitation. - TradeArabia News Service