India has recently become a popular tourist destination for travelers thanks to the breathtaking sceneries it has to offer. Besides adventure travel and cultural tours, wellness tourism in India has emerged as a significant and rapidly expanding tourism segment.
The growth of wellness tourism in India
In 2020, India ranked 12th in the top 20 largest wellness tourism markets in the world, with more than 48.2 million wellness trips. Making use of this travelers' interest, India offers plenty of wellness retreats and resorts for tourists as well as advantageous conditions to get Indian visas.
Many travelers may be confused about the difference between wellness tourism and medical tourism. Medical tourism is about traveling to a different place for specific medical treatments while wellness tourism is associated with the pursuit of maintaining or enhancing travelers’ wellbeing.
Especially, more people are choosing health and wellness tourism in India to recharge their batteries and refresh themselves post pandemic.
Lauren Jane, an American traveler who had a wellness vacation in Ananda in the Himalayas Resort, India, says: “The activities here help me re-balance and relieve stress after the pandemic, while the healthy organic cuisine maintains my health during the trip. I will come back to experience more wellness tourism destinations in India.”
Typical types of wellness tourism in India and corresponding entry documents
India focuses on promoting wellness tourism in 03 key sectors: Meditation, yoga, and massage therapies.
One of the most popular activities on a wellness trip in India is meditation. Travelers will participate in meditation activities in a natural space of plants, water, and clouds. Meditation is a good way for tourists to reset their bodies, and enjoy the moments of relaxation in their souls.
Known as the birthplace of yoga, India promotes the construction of wellness retreats suitable for yoga practices. Most of the retreats are settled close to nature, surrounded by the lush green forests, providing tourists with quiet spaces for doing yoga.
Ayurvedic massage is unique in many wellness retreats in India, bringing relaxing and soothing experiences for tourists. This massage therapy uses oils, herbs, and natural products to help tourists relieve emotional stress, rejuvenate their mind and soul.