Many years ago I met a gentleman from San Francisco, while we were both lounging around poolside at our Hua Hin condo complex, in Thailand. In the course of our conversation, he mentioned that he came to Thailand for some root canal work.
In reply to my initial response that it seemed like a long way to come to see the dentist, he explained that the quality was so good, yet the price so low, that it was less expensive to come to Thailand for a few weeks than doing the work back home. Plus, heck, you get to spend a few weeks in Thailand!
Afterward, I looked into the matter and discovered that even at that time there was a growing business of people coming to Thailand precisely for medical purposes. Since then the medical tourism business has taken off. And a lot more destinations have joined the ranks of preferred medical havens. A friend recently spent a couple weeks in Mexico to get his dental work done.
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.
On the face of it, this might seem like the logical outgrowth of medical tourism. Upon closer reflection, though, it turns out that in fact the wellness tourism trend is actually a lot older. It's just been more under the radar - 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.
The combination of meditation, yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, have driven the world wide trend toward wellness oriented practices, in general, and India specifically. Even societies with no history of such traditions have seen notable uptakes in such practices. However new they may be anywhere else, though, such practices are firmly established, in some cases ancient, Indian 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.
For a very long time, Indian spiritual retreats and spas, ashrams and gurus (a word which just means teacher) have attracted all manner of hippies and alternate lifestyle types. But, as awareness of wellness as a central factor in a long, healthy and enjoyable life has grown among people all over the world, India's secrets have gone mainstream.
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.
In reply to my initial response that it seemed like a long way to come to see the dentist, he explained that the quality was so good, yet the price so low, that it was less expensive to come to Thailand for a few weeks than doing the work back home. Plus, heck, you get to spend a few weeks in Thailand!
Afterward, I looked into the matter and discovered that even at that time there was a growing business of people coming to Thailand precisely for medical purposes. Since then the medical tourism business has taken off. And a lot more destinations have joined the ranks of preferred medical havens. A friend recently spent a couple weeks in Mexico to get his dental work done.
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.
On the face of it, this might seem like the logical outgrowth of medical tourism. Upon closer reflection, though, it turns out that in fact the wellness tourism trend is actually a lot older. It's just been more under the radar - 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.
The combination of meditation, yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, have driven the world wide trend toward wellness oriented practices, in general, and India specifically. Even societies with no history of such traditions have seen notable uptakes in such practices. However new they may be anywhere else, though, such practices are firmly established, in some cases ancient, Indian 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.
For a very long time, Indian spiritual retreats and spas, ashrams and gurus (a word which just means teacher) have attracted all manner of hippies and alternate lifestyle types. But, as awareness of wellness as a central factor in a long, healthy and enjoyable life has grown among people all over the world, India's secrets have gone mainstream.
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:
If you want to keep tabs 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 international travel with their kids, his article on CDC Travel Vaccines and the Joy of Traveling with Your Kids is a must read.
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