India is promoting the “High Tech Healing” of its private health care sector as a tourist attraction. This budding trade in Medical Tourism selling foreigners the idea of travelling to India for low-cost world class medical treatment have really got attention inthe overseas market like West Asia and the Middle East.
The medical expertise in tourism became our new focus segment to boost India as’Global Healing destination’. The response is quite positive and it could be generating revenues approx around Rs.100 billion by the year 2012 as per a report by Mckinsay Consultants and Confederation of Indian Industries. Even in this year’s budget Hon’ble Finance Minister had also mentioned about Medical Tourism Potential in India.
Our medical tourism appeals low cost treatment. It costs about one tenth of the price that of US. Many state governments like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh had been showcasing this Medical Tourism segment in certain focused markets like the Gulf and Africa Region.India hospitals have undertaken landmark activities in the area of health are though alternative systems of medicine and treatment such as homeopathy, acupressure and allopathic treatments are given by experienced doctors. Dedicated service minded and experienced band of experts have made their services available for this purpose on honorary basis. Health care camps lecture services, training classes etc. are also arranged for general awareness. As yogasana became popular and wide spread-centers have come up, yogasana classes are conducted for public and private industries and many service organization even at their own premises with the help of experts.
As Ayurveda Health Programmes, Naturopathy and Natural Treatments are fast catching up in travel around the World. Tourism authorities have developed special website in order to disseminate information about the packages on offer for such rejuvenation therapies. Many tour operators in Europe even promoting Yoga and Ayurveda Rejuvenation packages as niche products under Incentive tourism for the executives for controlling stress that allow them to be in the natural surrounding and through strict diet control and some simple exercises.
Many Ayurvedic Health Resort in the country which are owned and run by traditional Ayurvedic Institutes have come-up. Ayurgram not only offers heritage accommodation but offers whole range of Ayurvedic treatments and rejuvenating packages. Similarly, many leading hotels have included rejuvenation packages in their holiday deals. Some of the tour operators have worked out all inclusive medical treatment packages which includes besides patients treatment also accommodation, food for the persons accompanying the patient, airport transfers, post operation recuperative holidays as well as host of other facilities. This infact shows our product as offering true value for money services. Many state of art furnishing and equipments are being added to our Ayurvedic Resort to welcome International guests.
India New Destination For Well-Being
India is the land, which discovered and gave the unique power of Ayurveda to the world. Ayurveda’s far reaching impact can be understood completely when one whole heartedly integrates the body, mind and soul with the environment, as the microcosm of the self is a mere reflection of the macrocosm, the universe that surround us. This 5000 years old practice of medicine that is trusted, revered and followed even today is also source for many other holistic treatments followed now. It aims for harmonious balance in human existence. It blends science and philosophy while balancing mental, physical, spiritual and emotional facts of a being. While through Ayurvedic Massages and yogic exercises one get detoxification, natural herbal remedies which are used for treatments have no negative side effects. These natural treatments are further supplemented with our age old Music therapy, Aroma therapy and Meditation which are very useful for controlling blood pressure, insomnia, cure tension, depression etc. Natural and essential oils like lavender, sandalwood, tea tree oil are good for skin ailments especially for acne, insect bites, burns etc.
Keeping all these aspects in mind i.e. holistic living many luxury Spas have come up where rejuvenation packages with yoga, Ayurvedic Massages, aroma therapy are offered to integrate body, mind and soul in a very natural environment.’Ananda’ Resort in Rishikesh, Angsana Resort near Bangalore, Golden Palm Spa near Bangalore, Soukya and Ayurgram in Bangalore offer. Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Hydrotherapy, Yoga, Meditation packages. In Maharashtra at Igatpuri at Vipassana the 2500 years old art of meditation with a ten-day residential course is on offer. During the course period no outside contact is allowed. At Ananda Resort, Golden Spa Bangalore offers exquisite experience with its lagoons, lawns and beautiful landscaping. At Ananda in Risikesh, Hydrotherapy areas offer breath taking views of the Himalayas and the Ganges that completely changes the outlook and one feels fully relaxed and rejuvenated. The environment plays a big role in Indian traditional naturopathy. This has to be experienced and with 100 times of explanation one can’t present the feel of that experience. Leading hotels in India are offering special Spa packages like the Taj Group offers spa facilities at fort Aguada Goa; Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur has a luxurious Spa built in traditional Rajasthan decor, The Taj Ayurveda Centre at Taj Calicut, The Garden Retreat Kumarakom, Taj Spa at fisherman Cove or Taj Mahal Palace and Tower Mumbai are very popular with tourists and known for quality Spa packages. Kerala has the largest number of yoga cum massage centres. Similarly the Oberoi Group has Spa facilities in their luxurious Vila Resorts (which are managed by Banyan Tree Resort in Bali) and these are located at the Rajvilas (Jaipur), the Amarvilas (Agra), Vanyavilas (Sawai Madhopur) – all have Spas. Leela Palace Goa, Mumbai, Bangalore has upmarket Spa facilities, which offer Indian and Western holistic treatments. At the Park Hyatt. Goa “the Sereno” is spread over 28,000 sq. feet specially designed treatment suites and out door therapy areas for nature cure and offer integrated wellness programme.
Today contemporary India is second to none when it comes to providing “Advance Health Care” facilities and this has become possible because of the emergence of the private sector in a big way in this field. More and more people are realising that India is an, ideal stop for treatment because of various factors like world class hospitals where State of art technologies are used, professional management and some of the finest doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are available. All this at an amazingly economical cost as compared to the west. Infact Quality service and price factor which primarily go in favour of India. According to a study of the confederation of Indian Industry, Medical Tourism can contribute upto $2.2 billion approximate by 2012 and this shows the potential this segment has for Indian Tourism. The current medical tourism market is mainly limited to the patients from the Middle East and South Asian economies. With the establishment of various corporate hospitals that have invested in modern equipment and well staffed with professionals, get patients from Western Europe such as U.K. who are choosing India as a major medical service destination with post care recuperation packages. Some of the leading hospitals like the Apollo Hospital Group with established base of tertiary care hospital in metropolitan cities, Heart Care Institute run by Escorts in Delhi. Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai, Global Hospital in Hyderabad, Hindujas in Mumbai, Wockhard hospital, Max Health Care etc. are catering to international patients in the areas of diagnostic, disease management, preventive Health care and invasive surgeries. Infact the Apollo Hospital Group in the country has 35 hospitals with 6000 beds. The Quality treatment at a reasonable cost with combination of holistic treatments, minimal waiting time, priority treatment and fluency of doctors in English language, personalised services of nursing care all these help the patients to have great confidence in the Indian Medical Care service.The interests in medical tourism have motivated many State Tourism Departments to open special cells. Maharashtra had set up Medical Tourism Council. Regularly Health care conclaves are being organised to tap this potential. Hitech machines are being imported to use the latest technology in medical care. Many new hospitals
have comeup in Mumbai’s health care map – The Godrej run hospital at Vikroli and Hiranandani Hospital in Powai and they represent excellent medical care opportunities.
For Cardio care, Bone Marrow Transplant, Dialysis and Kidney transplant, Neuro surgery, Joint Replacement Surgery, Urology, Osteoporosis, Gynecology, and numerous other diseases are treated at Indian Hospitals with full professional expertise. For optitholomology, orthopedic surgery cosmetic surgery, dentistry -infact Indian hospitals has a made a big name and there is a big demand from neighbouring countries and Middle East.
Along with these hospitals, there are many centers which offer not just physical but emotional and spiritual healing to patients. People are opting for such therapies even for various problems such as slipped disc; where as earlier alternative medicine was considered as the last resort. Now Ayurveda can cure all types of complicated disease also. Acupuncture, acupressure, Reflexology – many offer combination of systems at the medical centers. With all these India is going to be one of the leading Medical / Health Care Destination. It will be one stop for well being. As India tourism, we have brought out special “Medicare” booklet, which has names of the selected hospitals where one can got quality treatments. Now quite a number of specialist tour operators are available who are offering all combined packages with airport transfers, hotel accommodation for the accompanying guests relatives with the patient, transfers and food, post operation holiday packages etc. and thus made the operation of the system very affordable in India. We also understand that whole Medical Tourism aspect is being streamlined by having a joint task force consisting of experts from both health and tourism to examine issues concerning Medical Tourism. This task force will look into issues relating to accreditation of hospitals and a price band for various kinds of treatment to be offered as part of promotion of Medical Tourism. Hon’ble Minister of Tourism also desirous that the committee should look into the recognition of Spas and Ayurveda centers in India and other issues like insurance and staying facilities.There will be necessity to draw out a criteria or standardize regulations for all hospitals asking approval. This may take some time to give actual shape. Once all these things are streamlined, undoubtedly Medical Tourism will be big revenue earning segment as also a service to the humanity for wellness and care.
