It was some years ago, when I was living in Hua Hin, Thailand, that I met a fellow from San Francisco lounging around poolside at our condo complex. An elderly gentleman, he told me he was in Thailand to have dental 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!
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 appears that the wake of this medical tourism boom has spawned, now, a more general wellness tourism industry. Think of it, if you like, as the preventative care version 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.
Readers who are old enough might cast their minds way back to the 1960s: at that time, there was in fact an international India-craze. It was sparked by the well publicized journey of global rock band sensation, the Beatles, to India, seeking spiritual enlightenment and mastery of the techniques of meditation. So, what's happening today isn't an entirely unprecedented event. There is no doubt, though, again, today, the current time in India is 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.
It should be no surprise to discover then that India is turning into a key player in the industry. It is in fact the most rapidly expanding international wellness travel destination. The country's projected growth in the industry presently stands at 22 percent annually. This growth rate dwarfs that of the current industry leader, the United States, which has an annual growth rate of less than 6 percent. India's up-and-comer status in the industry is pretty evident.
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.
Among the top destinations for wellness travel in India are SwaSwara of Gokarna, the Ayurvedic Natural Health Center in Goa, and the Shreyas Yoga Retreat in Bangalore. These and all the other Indian hot-spots have meditation, yoga and ayurveda central to their wellness practices. Don't discount, the fact, additionally, that a few also provide spectacular beachside sunsets. (Even our favorite, modest little resort town, Varkala in Kerala , boasts a major ayurvedic experience.)
As we said, as a whole new era of travel is upon us: there's no doubt that the current time in India is definitely 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!
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 appears that the wake of this medical tourism boom has spawned, now, a more general wellness tourism industry. Think of it, if you like, as the preventative care version 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.
Readers who are old enough might cast their minds way back to the 1960s: at that time, there was in fact an international India-craze. It was sparked by the well publicized journey of global rock band sensation, the Beatles, to India, seeking spiritual enlightenment and mastery of the techniques of meditation. So, what's happening today isn't an entirely unprecedented event. There is no doubt, though, again, today, the current time in India is 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.
It should be no surprise to discover then that India is turning into a key player in the industry. It is in fact the most rapidly expanding international wellness travel destination. The country's projected growth in the industry presently stands at 22 percent annually. This growth rate dwarfs that of the current industry leader, the United States, which has an annual growth rate of less than 6 percent. India's up-and-comer status in the industry is pretty evident.
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.
Among the top destinations for wellness travel in India are SwaSwara of Gokarna, the Ayurvedic Natural Health Center in Goa, and the Shreyas Yoga Retreat in Bangalore. These and all the other Indian hot-spots have meditation, yoga and ayurveda central to their wellness practices. Don't discount, the fact, additionally, that a few also provide spectacular beachside sunsets. (Even our favorite, modest little resort town, Varkala in Kerala , boasts a major ayurvedic experience.)
As we said, as a whole new era of travel is upon us: there's no doubt that the current time in India is definitely 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 international travel with their kids, his piece on CDC Travel Vaccines and the Joy of Traveling with Your Kids is a must read.
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