Trend #10: The Middle East’s Wellness Ambitions
From Desert Retreats to High-Tech Wellness, the Region Embraces Holistic Wellbeing
Just one of the 10 trends forecasted in The Future of Wellness 2025 Trends report, The Middle East’s Wellness Ambitions written by Thomas Morris illuminates what is driving the wellness industry growth in the region, the key aspects of the trend and what the future holds. The Middle East is emerging as a global wellness leader, blending cultural heritage with cutting-edge innovation and sustainability, fueled by national strategies and vast new developments. Wellness is touching every part of Middle Eastern society, from innovative health solutions to religious gatherings, and as oil-dependent countries seek new revenue streams, wellness is emerging as a prime sector. Several Middle Eastern countries have articulated national visions that emphasize wellness and preventive healthcare as integral components of their development strategies, understanding that wellbeing is vital to economic diversification and population health. The UAE’s Vision 2030 invests in prevention and AI-enhanced clinical care; Oman’s Vision 2040 emphasizes preventive health and the creation of a genomic database targeting genetic diseases; and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 funds public health campaigns targeting chronic illness and has gone big on wellness tourism.
Large-scale travel destinations like Red Sea Global’s AMAALA in Saudi Arabia—which will include an unprecedented 30 world-class wellness destinations when complete, with the first eight opening this year—highlight the region’s ambitious moves into wellness tourism. Elsewhere, Arabic wellness traditions and dramatic landscapes are creating authentic experiences that highlight the region’s beauty and heritage. For instance, in Jordan, guests connect with local Bedouin culture while stargazing and hiking. The region is pioneering new intersections between sports and wellness, with destinations like Qatar’s Aspire Academy and Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard. Digital innovation is transforming healthcare in the Middle East, especially within the GCC countries, with major investments in artificial intelligence, robotics, genomic medicine and digital healthcare infrastructure. The market for beauty products celebrating Middle Eastern heritage is growing, with products like Asteri Beauty’s vegan, “desert-proof” collection, or MZN Bodycare’s line, inspired by the plants of Saudi Arabia. Extremely ambitious investment in preventative healthcare, sports, and wellness infrastructure and tourism, are creating a new global hub for wellbeing—one that once seemed unlikely.
Thomas Morris
Senior Partner, Middle East, Finn Partners, United Arab Emirates
Leading FINN Partners’ office in the UAE, Thomas Morris provides strategic counsel and a full array of PR and marketing services to global clients seeking to access local markets, as well as those in the region looking to improve awareness and reputation abroad. With over 15 years of experience in strategic marketing communications, Thomas has had the privilege of planning and executing comprehensive marketing campaigns and communication strategies for nations, multinational companies, and innovative startups. He is co-leading FINN Partners’ Global Intelligence team in EMEA, utilizing research and big data analysis tools to drive strategy.