Push to promote Ayurveda tourism

The Government of India believes that with a global focus on health and wellness, there is an opportunity for the growth of Ayurveda tourism.

India’s Ministry of Tourism argues that this is the right time and opportunity for the government and private stakeholders to jointly take India’s story in Ayurveda to the world.

The Ministry is creating new promotional material that talk of body, mind, and soul where Ayurveda is an integral aspect as an ancient scientific wisdom for holistic healing and rejuvenation.

It says that the industry needs to work together on creating the right strategic content and market in the right source markets. This is in conjunction with new protocols and guidelines for opening up tourism to international tourists. It is engaging with other ministries state governments and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), while the Ministry of AYUSH is focusing on both the products and services for healing and wellness of Ayurveda .

Ayurveda products and its services were recognised as essential services so that the industry was allowed to operate during the lockdown. During the health crisis, the ministry promoted Ayurveda for boosting immunity to both domestic and global markets. The advice and research from the Ministry of AYUSH were translated into eight foreign languages.

The Ministry of AYUSH has launched a new scheme called Medical Value Tourism, encouraging private sector investment to establish new greenfield hospitals in parts of India including the eastern region. These hospitals will be accredited by NABH or other accreditation agencies to ensure the quality of services and infrastructure provided.

FICCI has been focusing on the survival and revival strategies for the tourism industry, and has set up a new committee looking at developing Ayurveda tourism.

There is a new generation in India that has now understood the value of Ayurveda and its healing benefits.

For the international market, one idea is for the Indian overseas embassies to start issuing tourist and medical visas or start online visas on arrival to international guests.

The Ministry of AYUSH has requested that on the present NABH accreditation for Ayurveda hospitals, the guidelines for large medium and small hospitals be changed based on the number of rooms. 75% of Ayurveda hospitals and resorts fall in the small category and the existing terms and conditions and the cost involved is high, making it difficult for them to get NABH accreditation.