India faces rise in wellness tourism

Thursday, January 28, 2021

Yoga and wellness retreats were never so much in demand. With an improved highlight on holistic well-being, nutrition and rejuvenation, as a consequence of the pandemic, many people are constantly structuring holidays for short durations around these options that provide to construct their immunity. The experts of the industry say that this might place India as a focus point of international tourism, being the center in terms of holistic streams of medicines like Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, and Tibetan medicine.

As per Global Wellness Institute’s report, by 2022, wellness tourism is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7.5 per cent. This is higher than the projected 6.4 per cent rate for the annual growth of global tourism in general. “The preventive healthcare at these wellness sojourns is a good way to combat diseases,” says Kamal Puri, who visited Ananda in the Himalayas last month.

“The activities here helped me reduce stress, while the healthy food helped me detox,” he adds. Akshita Chawla, who went to Vashisht, Himachal Pradesh, along with her friends, says, “The combination of daily meditation, yoga, stretching, mantra chanting, and trekking in Himalayas provides a fulfilling physical activity and soothes the mind.” Agrees Hemant Krishna, “These places assimilate spiritual practices in the daily schedule, and holidaying here can resolve anxiety and stress due to Covid-19.
“I am planning to go on one such trip soon.”

Hotels and resorts are growing up to the occasion. Amanbagh in Rajasthan has planned a special immersion programme to get immunity better. Guests get a all-inclusive wellness consultation from the in-house Ayurveda doctor. The doctor assesses the dosha (energy) of the guest and tailors a bespoke wellness programme and diet. Its menu comprises organic healthy dishes. IHCL which manages the Taj hotels have seen an average of 50 per cent month-on-month rise in stress-relief and detox spa treatments.

In September 2020, the hospitality group introduced Taj Wellness Retreats all over the select hotels that combine the expertise of in-house spa brand Jiva’s services offered for five-day wellness and 14-day Ayurveda retreats.

Also, the hotel chain is providing curated special services menus targeted at building immunity. Besides its wellness programmes, Ananda Spa Resort, Rishikesh started carrying on a 90-minute yoga and meditation session online daily ever since the COVID hit India. Guests can also book personalized sessions.

The staff at SwaSwara at Gokarana, Karnataka,have said that people from Karnataka and Maharashtra are coming for their new wellness holiday programs that do not include body contact therapies. Niraamaya Wellness Retreats in Kerala has worked together with Daivam Wellness to start on Integrative and Functional Medicine Programmes for holistic wellness at its premises, located at Niraamaya Retreats Surya Samudr a Kova l am and Niraamaya Retreats Backwaters and Beyond Kumarakom.

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