Medical tourism is expected to generate about 1.91 billion U.S. dollars annually to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 2010, local newspaper Gulf News reported on Sunday.

According to a report released by Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI), the UAE's medical tourism is expected to grow 15 percent a year and generate about 1.91 billion dollars by 2010, Gulf News said.

The UAE is aiming to attract about 6 million tourists with special needs, or 1 percent of the 600 million tourists with such needs in the world, Riyad Khalil Matar, a senior official with the ADCCI, was quoted as saying.

The global revenues of medical tourism exceeded 56 billion dollars in 2006, Matar added.

"We're developing the health care sector, building new communities, hotels and resorts to make the country a favorite destination for medical tourism," he said.

The ADCCI report recommends establishing new hi-tech hospitals, hotels and resorts chain with international and specialist management, building more institutions and medicine factories, and organizing more conferences and medical workshops and training courses.

The report also recommends easing issuing of the visit visas for medical tourists, and encouraging investments in the medical tourism sector for both local and international investors.

Source: Xinhua