160-room Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence opens doors

Five-star luxury Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence in Lucerne, Switzerland has opened its doors within the historic Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort after an extensive regeneration programme. The 160-room Waldhotel Health and Medical joins Switzerland’s world-class collection of exclusive wellness centres, which attract more than 250,000 GCC medical tourists per year. The luxury Swiss resort offers non-invasive medical treatments, recuperation, rest and relaxation.

The integrated, state-of-the-art alpine facility is an exclusive retreat for medical tourists, wellbeing enthusiasts and athletes, providing diagnostic, therapeutic and rehabilitation programmes, in addition to preventative and cosmetic treatments. Set in the luxury of the five-star Waldhotel, the holistic approach to health encompasses nutrition, exercise and rest, balanced with the healing qualities of Lake Lucerne, to create a bespoke wellness experience for each guest. With alpine air, dramatic scenery and a focus on health and nature, as well as exclusive shopping districts, it makes for a compelling proposition for a growing number of visitors from the GCC region. Switzerland is now a destination of choice for 253,919 outbound medical tourists from the GCC countries.

According to the Deloitte Swiss Hospitality Study 2015, GCC health and medical tourists accrued 735,318 overnight stays in 2014, marking an increase of 23% on the previous year, with the highest number of visitors arriving from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Swiss arrival figures received a further boost in 2017, with UAE passport holders no longer required to obtain short-stay visas – music to ears of luxury hoteliers, especially when GCC visitors spend up to $450 per day, four-times that of domestic Swiss tourists