The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) spa sector is outpacing global growth rates – despite ongoing security concerns across many of the region’s countries.

Annual revenues within the MENA’s spa sector jumped from US$1.7bn in 2013 to US$2.1bn in 2015, representing 10 per cent annual growth – five times faster than the average global spa industry growth rate of 2 per cent.

The figures come from the Middle East-North Africa Wellness Economy Monitor, published by the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) today (25 April) at the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) held in Dubai.

The report also shows that MENA’s wellness tourism revenues grew 6 per cent annually between 2013 and 2015 – from US$7.3bn to US$8.3bn.

Presenting the findings, GWI chief executive Susie Ellis described the MENA as a “unique wellness tourism market”.

“Globally, only 33 per cent of wellness travel revenues come from inbound tourists,” Ellis said. “But in MENA, inbound visitors account for 68 per cent of the market.

“The UAE remains the regional powerhouse, with a wellness tourism market now nearly two times bigger (US$2.7bn) than its closest competitor, Morocco (US$1.5bn) – and a spa market roughly three times larger (US$742m) than the number two in the market, Saudi Arabia (US$255m).

Ellis added that the region’s spa workforce will continue to expand at a rapid pace, with projections that it will grow by 37 per cent from 2015-2020, to reach 88,222 employees.

MENA is now the second fastest growing spa industry in the world – when measured by increases in revenues. The 10 per cent growth rate is second only to the very small market of Sub-Saharan Africa, where revenues are growing at a rate of 18 per cent a year.

To download and read the full Middle East-North Africa Wellness Economy Monitor, click here (requires free registration).