Hainan surpasses Dubai resident's expectations

For Awad Mohamed Bin AI Sheikh Magrin, head of Dubai's Travelers Festival Committee, a family trip to Boao, Hainan, from Saturday to Tuesday was a revelation that surpassed all his expectations.

"Hainan is a very beautiful island. I hadn't expected it to be this beautiful until I came here," he expressed during his visit, which combined medical tourism with exploring the island's investment potential.

His connection to Hainan began in May during a significant meeting with a Hainan delegation in Dubai, where they discussed cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and the Hainan Free Trade Port. Having visited over a hundred countries, including Chinese cities and special administrative regions like Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, Awad noted that Hainan is "really very special".

"The hospitality of the people, the warm and humid weather, the beautiful natural surroundings, the tropical cuisine," he said.

A central part of his trip was visiting the Hainan Mellsser Hospital in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone. Drawn by the Hainan Free Trade Port preferential policies, Mellsser Hospital is a key medical enterprise in Hainan province, which has been striving to align with international standards in recent years.

"The medical expertise and advanced technology ... It's more than what I imagine," said Awad, adding that he was impressed to learn the hospital is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. "This will give more trust for the medical travelers."

He highlighted that the appeal of Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, China's sole "medical special zone", is perfectly suited for high-end patients. "Premium travelers often don't want crowded places; they want clear air, good food, nice hospitality, a safe environment, and good medical treatment. This is all here in Boao."

The seamless visa-free procedure and advanced facilities further solidified Awad's positive impression. "My family is very happy to be here ... even my wife was talking about inviting more of her family members here."

Looking ahead, Awad sees a "very bright future" for Hainan and strong potential for collaboration with Dubai. "I think Dubai and Hainan Free Trade Port can cooperate in fields like medical tourism, trade and technology," he said, expressing confidence that many more from the Middle East will soon discover this tropical island.