Prospects in Medical and Wellness Tourism – India

There is an interest in India as a prospective tourist destination and the main focus needed is a unique strategy to market India. Marketing of tourism is a specialized skill and Indian tour-operators and the government together must take this up with the assistance of well-known international tourism marketing agencies. India needs to create a brand image of its own. Also, clean and cheap hotels at tourist places must set up to cater to the budget tourists. Other supportive infrastructure, like information counters, and reservation booths for rail, air and road transport need to be made available round the clock so that the tourists should get adequate and required information at any time. From that, we should market India as the attraction that offers not a remote forest or a heritage site, but a modern and well-equipped urban facility—the hospital. With India’s well known and received medical expertise, and advantages of costs, medical tourism is emerging a major area, with a potential of Rs 8 ,000–15,000 crores by 2013 end. As medical tourism and wellness tourism are growing and garnering increasing attention in countries around the world, both businesses and governments are grappling with how to define, organize, and promote these sectors. Medical tourism is referred as travelling to different countries for healthcare purposes. The tourism industry (both private and government) and medical sector are working together in aiding this process. In western countries, Medical tourism is rapidly catching on as they need to put up with outrageous healthcare charges and long waiting lists. Also, with the air tickets getting cheaper, international travel has become easier and affordable and with improvement in infrastructure across the world, medical tourism is fast becoming a preferable way to mingle leisure with health and wellness. The tourists coming to India are attracted because of its low cost treatment as compared to western standards. About an average of 40 to 60 percent cost is lower in India as compared to United States and United Kingdom. It is well known around the world that, India offers “First World Treatment at Third World prices.” India is a country that makes around 30,000 doctors and nurses every year and is known worldwide for its eligible and capable professionals in this field. The government must take advantage of the opportunities and implement the improvement o f the general and medical infrastructure for boosting medical tourism. The tourism industry is wedged by a number of various factors, and the most vital one is currency movements. With the rupee falling against the dollar or vice-versa, it was feared that visitors bound for India would put on hold their programs on hold or there will be a rush in incoming visitors. The hospitality industry, which transacts in US dollars in most of the cases, will certainly feel the pinch. According to industry sources, there is an expectation of about 3–4 percent growth in the arrivals in the coming year. Brand image of India is essential and it is necessary to build this image. Proper policy framework, good infrastructure and professional marketing are required to be initiated and then there is no reason that India cannot be amongst the world’s favourite destinations.