From Desert Retreats to High-Tech Wellness, the Region Embraces Holistic Wellbeing
The Middle East is emerging as a global wellness leader, blending cultural heritage with cutting-edge innovation and sustainability, fueled by national strategies and 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 opening in the coming months—highlight the region’s ambitious moves into wellness tourism.
Elsewhere, traditional 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 participating in 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, which are seeing major investments in artificial intelligence, robotics, genomic medicine and digital healthcare infrastructure. The market for beauty products celebrating a Middle Eastern heritage is growing, from Asteri Beauty’s vegan, “desert-proof” products to MZN Bodycare’s line inspired by the plants of Saudi Arabia. Ambitious investment in preventative healthcare, sports, and wellness infrastructure and tourism, are creating a new global hub for wellbeing–one that once seemed unlikely.
This is just one of ten in-depth trends in the GWS’s The Future of Wellness: 2025 report. Purchase ithere.
UN Tourism hosted its first Middle East Workshop on Wellness Tourism to enhance regional collaboration and develop innovative wellness-focused tourism offerings. Held at the UN Tourism Regional Office in Riyadh from 9–10 September, the two-day event gathered over 30 participants, including representatives from 12 Member States, industry experts, and regional stakeholders. The workshop highlighted the expanding role of wellness tourism in driving economic growth, diversifying tourism markets, and supporting sustainability across the region.
The launch of Amaala will introduce six world-class luxury resorts along with a yacht club, a marine life institute, a state-of-the-art marina, and a vibrant Marina Village. Among the first properties and experiences set to open are Equinox Resort and Residences, Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Nammos Resort and Residences, Rosewood Resort, and Six Senses Resort. The Wellness Route—a 5km linear park linking these destinations through pristine natural landscapes—will also debut in the coming months.
From one-night escapes to inspire better sleep and educational healing festivals led by experts to week-long tailor-made programs that call for a more drastic change in lifestyle, the Middle East is fast becoming home to wellness-focused experiences to suit everyone, from the time-poor stressed CEO to the stay-at-home mum with burnout.
The site is part of the wider Jeddah Central masterplan, and will feature an Atlantis Resort with a holistic spa and wellness sanctuary and Branded Residences, as well as a One&Only Resort and Private Homes. In alignment with Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, these projects are designed to contribute to the Kingdom’s goal of attracting global tourism and urban living.
