‘ayush Visa To Give Fillip To State’s Med Tourism’, ET TravelWorld News, ET TravelWorld
With the central government introducing Ayush visa for foreign nationals seeking medical treatment like therapeutic care, wellness and yoga in India, the ayurveda treatment providers in Kerala are hopeful that this will boost medical tourism here.
“With the implementation of Ayush visa, the state that stands to benefit the most is Kerala. It will also give a fresh boost to the tourism department,” said Ayurvedic Medicine Manufacturers Association of India general secretary Dr D Ramanathan.
At the Global Ayush Investment Summit in Gujarat in April 2022, the Centre had promised to introduce Ayush visas for foreigners. Now a new chapter — chapter 11A – for Ayush visa has been incorporated and accordingly necessary amendments have been made in various chapters of the Visa Manual, 2019.
India introduces a new visa category for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayush systems and Indian medicine, aiming to boost medical tourism and position India as a premier medical value travel destination. In recent years, India has witnessed a decent growth in Medical Value Travel. A report states that the Ayush-based healthcare and wellness economy is expected to reach USD 70 billion by the year 2025.
Kerala is the key medical tourism destination in Asia with over five lakh foreign patients seeking treatment annually. Already many corporate hospitals here are offering integrated treatment — allopathy and ayurveda — as part of a medical tourism package. Ayurvedic tourism accounts for 30% of Kerala’s total tourism revenue of INR 45,010 crore. “With the implementation of Ayush visa, the revenue from Ayurvedic tourism will increase by three times. And there will be many job opportunities,” said Dr Ramanathan. Three types of ayurveda treatment are being offered here: traditional ayurveda houses offering treatment with all expertise but limited facilities for international travellers; excellent resort facility but limited ayurveda knowledge or professionalism and NABH-accredited ayurveda centres with excellent facilities and professionalism which is expensive.
India already has a medical visa. Ayush stakeholders believe that the Ayush visa will be different from medical visa in terms of charges but extendable. Medical visas are more expensive when compared to tourist visas.
“We have been demanding this for the past 10 years and it has finally become a reality. This will promote traditional treatment available in India across the globe,” said Dr AM Anvar of Raha Centre For Advanced Ayurveda and Integrated Rehab, Panampilly Nagar.
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