Entrepreneur Ameer Said lost both his wife and mother to cancer, inspiring him to invest in preventative healthcare in their memory.

The result is Zoya, a new health, medical wellness and fitness concept with which Said aspires to set a gold standard for wellness in the Middle East.

The first property opened recently in Ajman, UAE, called Zoya Health and Wellbeing at Al Zorah, and Said has brought in consultancy and contract management company Premedion to handle the operations.

“Zoya is my life’s work,” he says. “Our methods are integrative and holistic and we use a range of treatments to create customised wellbeing journeys for our guests. Detoxing and therapeutic fasting are central to what we offer, combined with physiotherapy, aesthetic medicine and the right nutrition to boost vitality.”

Commenting on Premedion’s role within the project, CEO Dr Yasser Moshref said: “Zoya is a unique destination that protects, nourishes and invigorates the mind, body and soul. It addresses the ailments of the modern world by offering preventative rather than curative treatments, and provides exceptional support to enable our guests to live well without the need for medication and assistance.”

A wellbeing oasis
Zoya has been planned as a first-of-its-kind, authentic Middle Eastern wellbeing sanctuary, where guests can go to heal and take time out to focus on their health, supported by modern medicine and within customised holistic wellbeing journeys.

To create this sanctuary, it was important to Said that Zoya was located in a healing environment, which is why he built it within the UAE’s tranquil Al Zorah nature reserve.

Surrounded by beaches, lagoons and lush mangrove forests, the reserve is home to a variety of native marine and plant life, as well as flocks of resident and migratory birds.

The 61-room resort falls under the umbrella of the Al Zorah mixed-use hospitality and residential development – co-developed by the Government of Ajman and Lebanese developer Solidere International.

Personalised journeys
Zoya will also offer a variety of wellbeing treatments that focuses on the organisation’s three main pillars – Prevention and Rehabilitation, Fitness and Recreation and Pampering, with packages that include detox, therapeutic fasting, prevention, physical rehabilitation, aesthetics and anti-ageing programmes.

Each guest is treated individually and starts their journey with a medical consultation, diagnostics testing and wellness assessment. This is followed by a bespoke nutrition plan and personalised treatment programmes, alongside an aftercare programme for at-home use.

These nine retreat programmes include: wellcation; immune support; detox; physiotherapy and rehabilitation; weight management; liver support; rejuvenation; get fit; and anti-ageing. They’re tailored to meet guest needs, and a combination of multiple, complementary treatments make up a holistic integrative journey. The length of these retreats at Zoya vary from three to 14 nights and include access to state-of-the-art resort facilities, as well as a selection of leisure activities.

Wellness facilities
The wellness facility is the resort’s anchor offering and has 45 treatment rooms, an integrative medicine clinic, aesthetic and anti-ageing centre, chronic disease management and diagnostics services, physiotherapy and a medical spa.

These facilities are complemented by a women-only spa, a mixed-sex spa, beauty services, fitness facilities, yoga and meditation spaces, a library and lecture room and a vegan restaurant and juice bar.

Thermal facilities include a Turkish hammam, steam sauna, infrared sauna, Finnish saunas, warm and cold therapy pools, whirlpool tubs, medical baths and Vichy showers.

Fitness is a key pillar of Zoya, so guests are given access to a medical gym, aqua gym, boot camp sessions, PT services and up to 60 weekly fitness classes that include cycling, watersports and golf activities.

The bigger picture
Moshref predicts the destination’s target audience will be GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] domestic tourists, and he believes the pandemic has helped to drive demand for local wellness solutions, due to a growing awareness of the importance of personal wellbeing and immunity.

“The pandemic has provided an opportunity for Zoya, as our facility provides the perfect environment for wellness-seekers looking for healing journeys. This kind of concept is unique in the UAE and this in itself is a unique selling point,” Moshref explains.

He adds there are plans to grow the Zoya concept with two more locations – in Salalah, Oman and in Al Taef, Saudi Arabia – as well as plans for a fitness-focused Zoya facility in Dubai, called Zoya Sports City.