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!
With a little further investigation, I discovered that there was a growing business of medical tourists. People such as the gentleman in Hua Hin were becoming a significant part of the economy in places like Thailand: traveling precisely for purposes of good quality, inexpensive medical treatments. Since then the medical tourism business has become huge. Many more destinations have gotten into the game. For instance, a friend went to Mexico for a couple weeks, last year, for his dental work.
In the wake of this medical tourism boom, there seems to be now a more general wellness tourism boom. You might think of it as the preventative cure form of travel.
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.
Meditation, along with yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, are the wellness practices, growing in popularity in recent years, even in cultures historically foreign to them, which are driving the new wellness travel boom. These are well established, in some cases ancient, Indian practices.
Unsurprisingly, then, India has been a major player in these developments. Indeed, it is the fastest growing wellness travel destination in the world. India's current projected growth in the industry is 22 percent annually. Interestingly, the United States is the current leader in wellness tourism, but its annual growth rate is below 6 percent. India would seem to be the up-and-comer in the emerging wellness travel business.
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.
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. The themes of meditation, yoga and ayurveda run throughout their practices. Though, a couple do also offer spectacular beachside sunsets as well. (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!
With a little further investigation, I discovered that there was a growing business of medical tourists. People such as the gentleman in Hua Hin were becoming a significant part of the economy in places like Thailand: traveling precisely for purposes of good quality, inexpensive medical treatments. Since then the medical tourism business has become huge. Many more destinations have gotten into the game. For instance, a friend went to Mexico for a couple weeks, last year, for his dental work.
In the wake of this medical tourism boom, there seems to be now a more general wellness tourism boom. You might think of it as the preventative cure form of travel.
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.
Meditation, along with yoga, a thriving homeopathy sector and specialized healthy diets, such as ayurveda, are the wellness practices, growing in popularity in recent years, even in cultures historically foreign to them, which are driving the new wellness travel boom. These are well established, in some cases ancient, Indian practices.
Unsurprisingly, then, India has been a major player in these developments. Indeed, it is the fastest growing wellness travel destination in the world. India's current projected growth in the industry is 22 percent annually. Interestingly, the United States is the current leader in wellness tourism, but its annual growth rate is below 6 percent. India would seem to be the up-and-comer in the emerging wellness travel business.
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.
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. The themes of meditation, yoga and ayurveda run throughout their practices. Though, a couple do also offer spectacular beachside sunsets as well. (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 up on what's happening on the India travel scene, check us out 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 article on CDC Travel Vaccines and the Joy of Traveling with Your Kids is a must read.
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