Kerala's highly-developed healthcare system enables the state to attract patients from abroad, says Jayata Sharma.
Kerala, the state almost synonymous with the word 'Ayurveda', is now all set to reap the benefits of Ayurveda through health tourism. The reason for this is the popularity of Ayurvedic treatments and the manner in which Kerala is marketing Ayurveda in medical tourism.
The genesis
In the 1950s, Kerala had a state hospitality department. However, the functions of the department were confined to running of guesthouses, upkeep of residential bungalows of ministers and providing hospitality and other arrangements of VIPs. At that time, there were not many hotels where foreign tourists could stay. Hence, they were provided accommodation in government guesthouses. "However, in 1960s, the tourist traffic started to increase and the government realised that there is a lot of potential in the hotel sector. So, a separate Department of Tourism came into being," explains B Suman, ex-director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.
Soon Kerala realised that it had a huge market for health tourism, as most tourists were attracted and inclined towards Ayurveda, the age-old system of medicine practiced widely in the state. Suman says, "About 10-12 years back, Kerala started with the task of promoting Ayurveda on a larger scale. And since then it has been a wonderful journey. So much so, now we don't even need to market Ayurveda from scratch, it has become a global term."
The promotion of Ayurveda in health tourism started in 1994 and the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) started Ayurvedic health centres in its premium properties like Hotel Samudra, Kovalam during the same period. "KTDC has tied up with the most reputed Ayurveda treatment providers and hence the authority of doctors and the quality of the medicines used are not compromised. The response has been encouraging," says Raj Mohan, marketing manager, KTDC.
Ayurveda is popular in UK, France, Spain, Italy, Germany and few Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE. However, the largest number of tourists coming to India for Ayurveda is from Germany. The growth rate of tourists flocking for Ayurveda is increasing every year at the rate of around 20-25 per cent.
Promotion plans
KTDC recently opened up an Ayurvedic resort called 'Thannermukkom Ayurvedic Lake Resort' located beside the backwaters at Thannermukkom. "Here, we have tied up with the Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam, a society formed by the Maharaja of Zamorine of Calicut in 1903, to promote and protect Ayurveda, headed by Padmasree Dr Rajagopal. Unlike the usual Ayurvedic spa/centres attached to a hotel, this resort combines authentic Ayurvedic treatment with leisure," adds Mohan. The patient's medical records are thoroughly examined by a panel of expert doctors and treatment is suggested after verifying the medical conditions. Thus, the unique feature of the resort is that it provides treatment just like a fully- equipped Ayurveda hospital without reducing the leisure element by way of location, property etc.
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