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Ayurveda
treatment a major draw for tourists in hotels and resorts of Kerala by
Juhan Samuel Kochi:
Having already made its foray into the world of medical tourism, Ayurveda
is now becoming the USP (unique selling point) for hotels and resorts in the country.
Most of the resorts and hotels display the famed Indian Ayurveda for spa, medicines,
therapy and special massages to lure the tourists. They wish to try a form of
medicine that ensures lasting results like Ayurveda does. The Managing Director,
Faizal of Emarald Group, owning a number of hotels and resorts in India, promoted
by NRI's has already in the process of tying up with Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Coimbatore
in all its chains, starting with Silent Valley Resort in Pulamanthole, Malappuram
district of Kerala. Hordes of tourists flock Kochi in Kerala which is the only
place where Ayurveda is practiced with dedication. The climatic condition of Kerala
is much suited for the traditional Ayurvedic treatment. "This is a special Ayurvedic
resort, specialty of this resort is that lot of foreign and domestic tourists
come here because it is an isolated place. People visit this place to rejuvenate
themselves," said Faizal the Managing Director of Emerald Group. Apart from treatments
and rejuvenation therapies, such centres have got highly qualified physicians,
therapists and well-equipped pharmacy. Faizal informed that the number of medical
tourists from gulf countries are on the rise who visit India for 7, 15 or 21 days
treatment or rejuvenation package. Many
upcoming and existing resorts, hotels and heritage homes are lined up to open
specialised ayurveda centres, only because it has now become a catch word to attract
tourists, says Krishna Kumar, MD of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy Coimbatore Ltd., the
company which has number of offers to franchise with such centres in the country
and abroad. "We want to strengthen and promote ayurveda, we have got outlets through
which we can make ayurvedic supplements available. We want to make sure that quality
that is rendered to the customers are more than mere hospitality," said P. R.
Krishna Kumar, Padmashree recipient and Managing Director of Arya Vaidya Pharmacy.
Recently, Yash Birla Group, the diversified Rs 3,000 crore business house in India,
announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Kerala Vaidyashala, an Ayurvedic
Therapy Centre chain, through a joint venture. As part of its immediate plans,
Birla Kerala Vaidyashala has earmarked Rs. 50 crores to open 200 centres, owned
and franchisee, stay spas and cruise spas and 19 economy centres across Kerala,
Goa, Mumbai Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai. Experts from the hospitality industry
believe that India has got a good tourism potential in the future and just 10
percent of it has been promoted till now. Seeing future prospects, many pharmacuticals
companies are diversifing their busifness to ayurveda health care business. Pharmaceutical
company Ipca Laboratories Ltd is planning to diversify into the Ayurveda and traditional
health care business. It also expects to set up an Ayurveda health care retail
chain for the new venture in addition to the manufacturing and marketing of specialty
traditional medicines. The Rs. 2000 crore Katra Group, last year planned to expand
its business in ayurveda.by acquisitions in India and the US to build an overseas
brand for ayurveda. According to ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of India), India's foreign exchange earnings from the tourism sector
is likely to grow by 20 per cent to 16.91 billion dollars in the next two years,
mainly due to huge tourists inflow expected during the Commonwealth Games to be
held in New Delhi. The country's tourist arrivals in 2008, total tourist arrivals
in India stood at 5.37 millions and in October alone it was recorded at 453,000
and are likely to double during October 2010. -Feb
2, 2009 |