ITIC MEA 2024 | Saudi Arabia – the power of potential
Bilge Bora looks at the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia and considers how it is a desirable destination for travel and healthcare
The ITIJ team have been reporting live from ITIC MEA in Cairo this week (April 2024) sharing the discussions that took place at the conference. Read all the reports here.
Bilge Bora, CEO of marm assistance, started her talk by saying there are big opportunities in Saudia Arabia, and that three main factors add to these opportunities: rising tourism, having a local presence, and telemedicine solutions.
She said Saudi Arabia is experiencing significant growth in its tourism sector, driven by initiatives such as Vision 2030 and the development of tourism infrastructure, which includes:
- Tourist visa programme
- Destination development
- Cultural heritage preservation
- Entertainment and events
- Infrastructure development
- Tourism investment opportunities
- Cultural and entertainment hubs
- Sustainable tourism practices
Bora went on to say that the advantage of having local representatives in the region facilitates access to new opportunities and provides the ability to manage increasing tourist volumes.
She said they develop telemedicine platforms or mobile applications tailored for the Saudi Arabian market, and added that with the government’s push towards digitising healthcare services and improving accessibility, there is a growing demand for telemedicine solutions that offer remote medical consultations and assistance to tourists.
Mandy Langfield, ITIJ Publishing Director and ITIC moderator, asked about cultural differences, and how they will maintain their culture while attracting lots of tourists and customers. Bora said they will make tailor-make solutions for customers. She said they are working on giant projects and they want to attract workers from different cultures, not just customers. They are desperate to attract medical professionals too. She also said they are aiming to be the second Dubai.
Bora added that changing cultural differences and easing restrictions will be slow. A question came from the audience about whether they will ease restrictions just for money. Jonathan Cooper, MD, WIS, said they will definitely have to change, and they want to change. He added that there is a young, wealthy part of the population and that the Saudis are willing to adjust.
Langfield then asked about telemedicine and Bora said it is similar to Egypt – at the moment it is just available for doctor to doctor. Bora said it should be available for patient to doctor soon.
Langfield then asked about Bora’s hope for Saudi Arabia. Bora said it is a new destination that she’s very positive about. She thinks people will be intrigued and that word of mouth will help people to visit.