Wellness Tourism in India: What is it and Why it’s Important?

One can say that ‘Health is wealth’ is an apt saying and people across the world are growing wiser to this fact. People are becoming more sensitive to issues related to their physical and mental well-being with the acute rise in ailments such as cardiac illnesses, stress, anxiety, diabetes, mental health disorders, insomnia, and many others. With an increasing emphasis on wellness, people want to lead healthier and fitter lives.

These days millions of people are travelling to exotic destinations to unwind themselves which double up as health resorts where they can connect to spirituality and hit the reset button for their minds and bodies. This, in a nutshell, encapsulates wellness tourism which is quickly becoming a rage across the world.

What Exactly is Wellness Tourism Anyway?

There is wellness tourism and then there is medical tourism. Both are like chalk and cheese. While people go for wellness tourism as a proactive measure, to improve their general health and prevent future illnesses or ailments; medical tourism is more reactive in nature.

Predominantly, people undertake medical tourism for treatment of an existing medical condition and travel to countries which offer better and in most instances cheaper healthcare.

This presents a huge opportunity for travelling agencies and agents. According to a study by Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness industry is valued at US $3.7 trillion.

Travelers made 691 million wellness trips in 2015, a colossal 104.4 million more trips than in 2013. Online travel agents (OTAs) make use of online travel booking software to keep up with the number of travelers while serving them proficiently.

One such travel booking solution is Maco Infotech’s Online Travel Booking Software. It comes loaded with amazing features making it an attractive option for OTAs. Some of these features are:

• Book from Anywhere
• User-Friendly Booking Process
• Cloud Based Services
• Currency Conversion Facility
• Secure Credit Card Processing
• Simple & Powerful Calendar Function

Coming back to wellness, there’s more to it than simply spas, fitness camps or yoga retreats. Whether they’re baby boomers or millennials, everybody these days is becoming more health conscious.

And the travel industry is taking full advantage of this fact, redefining the meaning of wellness. When you visit a wellness retreat, they have a whole plan prepared motivating you to eat better, exercise better, and connect to your spirituality through meditation helping serve as a life changing experience for the travelers.

How Can Travel Agents Exploit This Opportunity?

Travel agents can take advantage of this opportunity by integrating elements of wellness in the travelers’ vacation packages. They can target a large number of customers who might be looking into visiting a wellness destination.

According to a report, wellness travelers spend 61% more on their holidays than average making them an extremely lucrative target group. Additionally, by using online travel booking software, travelers across the world can plan and experience a stress-free journey.

One such popular wellness destination is India. This ties up nicely with another report, where the Asia-Pacific regions was projected as the fastest growing wellness region leaving Europe and United States behind in the dust.

India, in fact, has been growing at a projected growth rate of 22 percent which will make it the world’s #1 wellness destination for tourists by 2019. It boasts of attractive health retreats in Kerala, Himalayas and Puducherry. Wellness tourists can engage in yoga, Ayurveda and meditation.

Why Go for Wellness Tourism?

Well, for one, wellness tourism puts your health and welfare at the front and center of your travel experience. Your trip is centered around healthy food, spa experiences, exercise, coupled with ways to broaden your spirituality and creativity.

Attune your mind and body to take better care of yourself physically, psychologically and spiritually.