According to Wellness Creative Co, the global wellness market is valued at over $4.75 trillion in 2022. The number is expected to grow year by year, but what part does the UAE play when it comes to wellness in the economic footprint?
One leading global healthcare, wellness and aesthetic dermatology brand has recently announced the opening of their 12th clinic in the UAE. The VLCC Group was inaugurated by Engineer Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation, Ras Al Khaimah, Vandana Luthra, founder of VLCC Group and Zeeshan Azam, VLCC’s joint venture partner.
CEO Middle East asks Luthra about the wellness market, and her motivation for opening a clinic in the UAE’s rich, archaeological and historical Emirate, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK).
When researching the UAE, why did you specifically choose RAK to open a clinic?
We opened our first VLCC Wellness and Aesthetic Dermatology Clinic in RAK in 2009, just about three years later, we opened another clinic in the UAE, which was the first in Dubai.
Our decision to operate in RAK was based on two standpoints – business and social responsibility.
From a business perspective, RAK has always been a stable and prosperous economy and it made sense to have a presence here, early enough in our foray into the UAE. From a social responsibility perspective, incidence of obesity, overweight and lifestyle-related disease in the emirate, like in the rest of the UAE and indeed the GCC region, is on the rise.
As pioneers and leaders in the wellness and preventive healthcare domain, we are confident that we could add value towards addressing this issue.
Do you think the wellness sector is growing, and why?
The wellness and preventive healthcare sector has been growing consistently for the last several years driven by growing awareness amongst consumers about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle given the sharp increase in lifestyle-related ailments.
Other significant drivers are rising cost of curative healthcare and also the active support by national and state government in creating awareness about the need to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle.
What do you predict the future trends will be for wellness in the UAE, and why?
As previously mentioned, the wellness sector has been growing steadily for several years. However, a more recent growth driver, is the Covid-19 pandemic. Being healthy and fit has become more consequential than ever before.
More people, even younger age groups, are embracing proactive health management and giving attention to nurture their mind, body, and soul. Preventive or proactive healthcare will be a significant consumption theme in the coming months and years.
What is the Middle East consumer behaviour toward wellness?
Consumers here are increasingly becoming aware about the need to stay active and led a healthy lifestyle. As I said earlier, there is huge opportunity in the fast-growing wellness sector, which in the Covid-19 era has become even more relevant for consumers of all ages, given the heightened awareness towards proactive and preventive healthcare and wellness.
The pandemic has also led to digital health and wellness as a new emerging global theme, including in the Middle East, with customers also actively consuming wellness and health related options available online.
What makes you different to your competitors in the UAE?
VLCC offers the widest range of wellness, preventive healthcare, aesthetic dermatology, and high-end beauty treatments under one platform. We also lead in industry customer retention with over 60 percent repeat customers month-on-month, which reflects that our products / services are the best in the industry.
Each VLCC wellness and beauty treatment package is customised as per the individual’s medical condition, body composition, dietary habits and lifestyle. These services and solutions are supervised and/or delivered by medical doctors, dermatologists, nutritionists, physiotherapists, fitness experts and qualified beauty professionals.
To complement the services, we have a diversified products portfolio including for home use that strengthens and sustains the results delivered to the customer. VLCC is the only organisation whose weight management and wellness programmes carries the Recommended By Indian Medical Association (IMA) stamp of approval. IMA is the largest organisation of doctors of modern medicine in India, with a membership base of over 330,000.
Do you think opening a health and wellness clinic will add to the economic growth in the UAE, and how?
Apart from generating employment and contributing to economic growth like any other investment would do, a key role that health and wellness clinics play is in the area of preventive healthcare, thereby contributing towards easing the burden on the curative healthcare infrastructure and related treatment costs.
Will you expand to other locations in the UAE? If so, where, and why?
VLCC currently operates 12 wellness and aesthetic dermatology clinics in the UAE. With the growing population and economic growth, we see the opportunity to open more clinics in line with this growth. Furthermore, the incidence of obesity, overweight and lifestyle-related diseases is also on the rise. VLCC has the relevant services and solutions to address this challenge and will have a role to play.
How do you feel opening the latest VLCC here in the Middle East?
VLCC has been in the Middle East since 2005 and we today operate 20 clinics across the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait. We are privileged to be here and thankful for the support that we have got here, including from our esteemed customers, our business partners, and especially from the government.