By Our Staff Writer
Flagship UAE carrier Emirates has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Medical Tourism Association (MTA), signalling a focused push to grow the airline’s footprint in one of the fastest-growing verticals in international travel: medical tourism.
The agreement, signed on the sidelines of ATM 2026, reflects Emirates’ strategy of going beyond traditional leisure and corporate travel to build structured, long-term relationships with an organisation that sits at the centre of how people travel for medical purposes.
Combined with Dubai’s position as a leading healthcare, wellness and medical tourism hub and Emirates’ network of close to 140 destinations, the partnership is expected to create a natural fit and a platform for sustained growth for both organisations.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer of Emirates, said healthcare is among the most important reasons people travel internationally and is growing significantly.
“Our newly established partnership with MTA positions Emirates where premium demand is heading. The insights we gain from working with MTA will also help us develop product propositions that are genuinely tailored to how these travellers plan, book and experience their journeys,” he said.
Jonathan Edelheit, CEO and Founder of Medical Tourism Association said: “Hospitals and clinics have spent years trying to reach international patients one relationship at a time. What changes with this partnership is that the demand now has a path, from a global airline to an accredited provider, through Better by MTA.”
As MTA’s Airline partner, Emirates aims is to identify key markets and medical travel corridors, particularly across Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and develop tailored travel solutions as well as an enhanced customer experience designed around the needs of patients, referring physicians, insurers and employers.
Emirates and MTA will collaborate with providers accredited by Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA), the sector’s accreditation body, on thought leadership, industry engagement, and shared market intelligence to better understand medical travel sector’s growth opportunities.
The partnership also supports Emirates’ ambition to become the world’s first GHA-accredited airline.
