Years ago I was living in Hua Hin, Thailand. The condo complex I occupied had a lovely pool and, one day, hanging out poolside, I met a fellow from San Francisco. In the course of our conversation, he mentioned that he'd ventured to Thailand for the specific purpose of having some root canal work done.
My mischievous retort, it seemed like a long way to go to get to the dentist, was answered with the observation that the quality of the service was so high, yet the price so low, it was actually more economical for him to travel to Thailand for a few weeks than have his dental work done at home. And that was saying nothing of the perk of three weeks sitting by the pool in Hua Hin!
Following our conversation, I explored the matter further. It turned out that even back then there was a burgeoning tourism business bringing folks to Thailand precisely to benefit from its excellent but comparatively inexpensive medical services. Since that time, of course, the medical tourism business became a major phenomenon, almost as widely discussed as it is practiced. And many more countries have arisen as sought-after medical tourism destinations. Just last year, a friend traveled to Mexico to get his teeth capped.
It seems that this popular tourism boom trend has seen an offshoot in what is being called the wellness tourism business. As one rascal put it to me, think of it as the preventative care form of medical tourism.
While this might seem like an obvious spin-off of medical tourism, closer examination is more revealing. The wellness tourism trend is in fact a lot older. It's just been a bit off the grid - though not entirely.
Now, I know, for some of you, this is ancient history, but way back in the 60s, an international India-craze resulted when global phenomenon rock band, the Beatles, journeyed to India, seeking spiritual enlightenment and the mastery of meditation practices. Well, guess what, today, the current time in India is once more wellness time.
Wellness practices such as meditation, yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector, and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, even in cultures historically foreign to such practices, have been the drivers of the new wellness travel boom. Such practices are part of well established, and in some cases ancient, Indian wellness traditions.
India has, as a result of all this, become the world's fastest growing wellness travel destination. The current projected growth in wellness tourism for the country is estimated at 22 percent per year. At the moment the U.S. holds top spot for wellness tourism. Looking to the future, with a growth rate below 6 percent in the States, it appears India is poised to shoot ahead as leader in the field.
As we've seen, there's nothing new about India's spiritual retreats and spas, ashrams and gurus attracting international visitors. For the last half century, though, these visitors have been primarily hippies and other alternate lifestyle types. That's all changing, now, big time. Awareness of wellness as a central factor in a long, healthy and enjoyable life has grown among people all over the world. The result is that India's ancient wellness secrets have taken center stage.
Top destinations for the Indian industry include SwaSwara of Gokarna, the Ayurvedic Natural Health Center in Goa, and the Shreyas Yoga Retreat in Bangalore. Themes of meditation, yoga and ayurveda animate the wellness programs at these various locations. And a couple provide the perk of spectacular sunsets on the beach. (Even our favorite, modest little resort town, Varkala in Kerala , boasts a major ayurvedic experience.)
So, next time someone asks you what time it is in India, you can tell them, my friend, the current time in India is wellness time.
My mischievous retort, it seemed like a long way to go to get to the dentist, was answered with the observation that the quality of the service was so high, yet the price so low, it was actually more economical for him to travel to Thailand for a few weeks than have his dental work done at home. And that was saying nothing of the perk of three weeks sitting by the pool in Hua Hin!
Following our conversation, I explored the matter further. It turned out that even back then there was a burgeoning tourism business bringing folks to Thailand precisely to benefit from its excellent but comparatively inexpensive medical services. Since that time, of course, the medical tourism business became a major phenomenon, almost as widely discussed as it is practiced. And many more countries have arisen as sought-after medical tourism destinations. Just last year, a friend traveled to Mexico to get his teeth capped.
It seems that this popular tourism boom trend has seen an offshoot in what is being called the wellness tourism business. As one rascal put it to me, think of it as the preventative care form of medical tourism.
While this might seem like an obvious spin-off of medical tourism, closer examination is more revealing. The wellness tourism trend is in fact a lot older. It's just been a bit off the grid - though not entirely.
Now, I know, for some of you, this is ancient history, but way back in the 60s, an international India-craze resulted when global phenomenon rock band, the Beatles, journeyed to India, seeking spiritual enlightenment and the mastery of meditation practices. Well, guess what, today, the current time in India is once more wellness time.
Wellness practices such as meditation, yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector, and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, even in cultures historically foreign to such practices, have been the drivers of the new wellness travel boom. Such practices are part of well established, and in some cases ancient, Indian wellness traditions.
India has, as a result of all this, become the world's fastest growing wellness travel destination. The current projected growth in wellness tourism for the country is estimated at 22 percent per year. At the moment the U.S. holds top spot for wellness tourism. Looking to the future, with a growth rate below 6 percent in the States, it appears India is poised to shoot ahead as leader in the field.
As we've seen, there's nothing new about India's spiritual retreats and spas, ashrams and gurus attracting international visitors. For the last half century, though, these visitors have been primarily hippies and other alternate lifestyle types. That's all changing, now, big time. Awareness of wellness as a central factor in a long, healthy and enjoyable life has grown among people all over the world. The result is that India's ancient wellness secrets have taken center stage.
Top destinations for the Indian industry include SwaSwara of Gokarna, the Ayurvedic Natural Health Center in Goa, and the Shreyas Yoga Retreat in Bangalore. Themes of meditation, yoga and ayurveda animate the wellness programs at these various locations. And a couple provide the perk of spectacular sunsets on the beach. (Even our favorite, modest little resort town, Varkala in Kerala , boasts a major ayurvedic experience.)
So, next time someone asks you what time it is in India, you can tell them, my friend, the current time in India is wellness time.
About the Author:
When you need to keep up on what's happening on the India travel scene, follow us at the Current Time in India blog. Mitchell Jones is an experienced travel writer and old India hand. For those considering exotic travel with their children, his piece on CDC Travel Vaccines and the Joy of Traveling with Your Kids is required reading.
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