G. Patoulis at the 2nd Arab-Hellenic Health Conference: “Greece Can Emerge as a Global Hub for Health, Wellness, and Longevity – ELITOUR Builds Bridges of Cooperation with the Arab World and Attracts High Value-Added Investments”
At the 2nd Arab-Hellenic Health Conference, held today at the Divani Caravel Hotel in Athens, the President of the Athens Medical Association (ISA) and President of the Greek Health Tourism Council (ELITOUR), George Patoulis, participated as an invited speaker for the second consecutive year, reaffirming the pivotal role that Greece and ELITOUR play in fostering cooperative relations between Greece and Arab countries in the fields of healthcare and medical tourism.
Addressing the Conference, Mr. Patoulis highlighted Greece’s significant prospects as an international hub for Health Tourism, Wellness, and Longevity, emphasizing the strategic importance of extroversion, international partnerships, and investment attraction within the healthcare sector.
Mr. Patoulis participated in the high-level panel of the opening session entitled “Roadmap for Cooperation in the Health Sector between Arabs and Greeks,” moderated by Dr. Nimer Shaheen, Professor of Surgery in Greece. Fellow panelists included Dr. Emad Abdulaziz Al-Thukair, Chief Executive Officer of Interhealth Medical Company (Canada); Dr. Faleh Mohamed Ali, Senior Public Health Advisor and Advisor to the Minister of Public Health of Qatar; and Dr. Rafea Ibrahim Al Rawi, Chief Executive Officer of The Modern Company for Drug Industry, Chief Executive Officer of Al-Andalus Private Hospital, and President of the Iraqi Private Hospitals Association.
During his presentation, the President of ELITOUR outlined the strategic vision of transforming Greece into a comprehensive “Greece Health Hub,” noting that the country possesses unique comparative advantages, including highly qualified medical and scientific personnel, modern healthcare infrastructure, a globally recognized tourism product, an exceptional natural environment, and a highly competitive quality-to-cost ratio.
He made particular reference to the decisive role of ELITOUR, which systematically works toward establishing Greece as a leading destination for Health and Wellness Tourism through the development of a robust ecosystem comprising more than 150 members from the healthcare, tourism, and business sectors.
Mr. Patoulis emphasized that Greece is well positioned to achieve international leadership in areas such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), aesthetic and plastic medicine, rehabilitation services, dialysis treatments, ophthalmological care, dental tourism, as well as contemporary Medical Wellness, Anti-Aging, and Longevity services, which constitute emerging global trends within the healthcare industry.
Speaking from the Conference podium, Mr. Patoulis stated:
“My participation, for the second consecutive year, as an invited speaker at the Arab-Hellenic Health Conference is both a great honor and a recognition of the momentum our country is developing in the field of Health and Wellness Tourism, as well as of ELITOUR’s international presence and work. We continue consistently to build strong bridges of cooperation with the Arab world and the international community, attracting high value-added investments, creating new employment opportunities, and opening prospects for young Greek scientists. Our objective is to establish Greece as a leading international destination for Health, Wellness, and Longevity by leveraging our country’s outstanding scientific expertise, modern infrastructure, and unique comparative advantages.”
Within the framework of the Conference, the President of ELITOUR and the Athens Medical Association also held particularly important working meetings with Dr. Emad Abdulaziz Al-Thukair from Canada, as well as with representatives of governmental, business, and healthcare organizations from Qatar, Iraq, and other countries of the Arab world.
During these meetings, discussions focused on opportunities for attracting investments in hospital infrastructure, rehabilitation centers, wellness facilities, and longevity services, as well as on developing new synergies capable of establishing Greece as a reference destination for patients and visitors from the Middle East, North Africa, and international markets.
Particular emphasis was also placed on the need to create a strong healthcare ecosystem that would contribute to the return of young Greek physicians and scientists currently working abroad, maximize the utilization of the country’s highly qualified human capital, and generate new high-quality employment opportunities in the fields of healthcare, research, innovation, and tourism.