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Healthtrip Expands Into Middle East To Boost Health Tourism
The company has also launched THRIVE, a unique personal transformation program designed to rejuvenate the mind and body.
Healthtrip, a UK-based platform specializing in medical and wellness travel, has officially extended its operations into the Middle East, opening offices in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This expansion is aimed at meeting the growing demand for advanced healthcare services in the region.
Middle Eastern countries are increasingly focused on becoming global hubs for health tourism, and the region already attracts millions of international visitors each year. The health tourism industry, currently valued at over $1 trillion annually, caters to individuals seeking high-quality medical treatments abroad.
With a rapidly aging Western population and significant wealth among older generations, the sector is growing at an impressive 18% per year. The rise is further driven by increased awareness of available treatments and improved lifespans.
Danish Ahmed, CEO and co-founder of Healthtrip, stated: “Our recent expansion into the Middle East aligns with the region’s mission to advance health, wellness, longevity, and anti-aging experiences for global travelers. Treatments such as longevity and aesthetics are rapidly growing in demand in the region’s destinations, complementing its well-established medical offerings”.
To date, Healthtrip has served more than 65,000 clients from 38 countries via its cutting-edge AI-powered platform. The technology connects patients with healthcare providers based on factors such as treatment type, ratings, cost, and location. Additionally, the platform offers a range of destination services, such as hotel bookings, airport transfers, concierge services, and interpreter support.
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Healthtrip’s unique offering has quickly made it a dominant player in the global health tourism sector, along with support from several UAE-based venture capital firms. In the Middle East, the company has established partnerships with respected healthcare providers, including Saudi German Hospitals, Burjeel Group, American Hospital, Kings College Hospital, Zoya Wellness, and Kaya Skincare.
Along with its recent expansion, Healthtrip has also created THRIVE, a unique transformation program designed to rejuvenate the mind and body. THRIVE offers a residential experience focusing on physical therapy, mental wellness, and holistic health practices, appealing to individuals looking for a comprehensive lifestyle reset.
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Dubai Integrates LiDAR & Digital Twins For Road Management
The Road and Traffic Authority hopes to enhance road maintenance with faster, safer, and more accurate assessments.
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is stepping up its road maintenance game by introducing LiDAR — short for Light Detection and Ranging — into its asset management system. This tech shift is part of a broader strategy to modernize how the city monitors and maintains its roads, using data-driven insights from digital twin platforms.
RTA has adopted the latest LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology to assess the condition of road assets and enhance the accuracy of data used in digital twin platforms. The initiative supports the development of preventive, predictive, and proactive maintenance… pic.twitter.com/8I7j9J9haw
— RTA (@rta_dubai) April 9, 2025
LiDAR isn’t new to the tech world, but RTA’s application of it marks a leap in how public infrastructure is managed. Instead of relying on slower, traditional visual inspections, lasers scan and map road conditions in real time. The result? Faster, more accurate data collection that feeds into advanced maintenance strategies — both preventive and predictive.
Hussain Al Banna, CEO of the Traffic and Roads Agency at RTA, highlighted the efficiency gains. “LiDAR technology delivers a remarkable boost in performance and speed, delivering up to 300% compared to traditional visual inspections,” he said. It’s a move that fits with Dubai’s broader vision of becoming a global model for smart, sustainable cities.
Accuracy is another key benefit. According to Al Banna, LiDAR offers up to 95% accuracy when assessing road conditions. This precision enhances the reliability of the data used for infrastructure decisions and helps streamline maintenance planning.
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LiDAR also enables safer inspections of high-up or hard-to-reach assets — think traffic lights, road signs, and lighting poles. This kind of efficiency isn’t just about numbers; it also reduces (or even eliminates) the need for manual labor in hazardous environments.
The scale of coverage is another game-changer. LiDAR will allow the RTA to scan around 80 kilometers of roads in a single day — a massive improvement compared to older methods, which typically cap out at 3 kilometers per day. Scanning can also be done on the move, at speeds between 30 and 100 km/h, helping to avoid road closures and traffic blockages.
Al Banna also emphasized the value of this real-time, high-resolution data in long-term planning: “This advanced technology delivers highly accurate data and detailed analysis of asset conditions, supporting the long-term sustainability of the Assets Condition Index (ACI)”. He noted that it helps in smart scheduling of maintenance, especially predictive tasks, by prioritizing based on strategic needs.
Dubai Integrates LiDAR & Digital Twins For Road Management
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