Feasibility Study & Concept Blueprint for a Premier Rehabilitation & Wellness Resort in Abu Dhabi
The client needed support determining the optimal development strategy for a remote site to promote wellness and medical tourism. Initial uncertainty about the site's potential required a comprehensive feasibility study to design the core concept, validate commercial viability, and create an implementation roadmap.
- Industry
- Wellness & Medical Tourism
- Region
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Duration
- 4 weeks
The challenge
The tourism authority lacked clarity about the designated site's potential - requiring comprehensive research to establish the resort's core concept, verify commercial feasibility, and develop a clear implementation strategy.
The approach
- 01
Comprehensive market analysis and site-potential assessment
- Analyzed the UAE's $3 billion wellness tourism market to identify high-potential segments.
- Conducted physical site inspections and technical reviews of location advantages and infrastructure readiness.
- Used structured scoring to evaluate three mid-spectrum wellness concepts.
- Benchmarked against regional and international wellness resorts through competitive analysis and stakeholder interviews.
- 02
Data-driven concept design and operational structuring
- Developed two distinct concepts: a 180-key 'Recharge & Play' resort emphasizing active wellness, and a 125-key 'Destination Medi-spa' focused on clinical restoration.
- Created detailed operational frameworks specifying staffing models and facility allocation.
- Curated comprehensive guest-journey experiences tailored to each concept's wellness philosophy.
- 03
Financial viability and implementation roadmapping
- Built a financial model projecting a 13.8% project IRR.
- Benchmarked capital expenditure against similar regional developments.
- Evaluated three development models (PPP, Hotel Management Agreement, Franchise), recommending PPP for the optimal risk-return balance.
- Provided an operational blueprint with staffing estimates of 2.0 and 1.7 staff per key.
The result
Secured full project sanction from higher government stakeholders, with a validated concept, financial model, and phased implementation roadmap ready to execute.
- 13.8%
- projected project IRR (Recharge & Play)
- $3B
- UAE wellness tourism market analyzed
- 2
- resort concepts designed (180 & 125 keys)
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