Package India: A health & pilgrim hub

The message of Incredible India is as clear as it can get. As the portrait of a woman in a yoga posture melts into a still of a temple with damsels dancing before it, the Department of Tourism zeroes in on one of its greatest potential money-spinners.

"Spiritualism and health are the country's inherent strength. It could attract the likes of Richard Gere and Goldie Hawn to India and its ayurveda and yoga are very highly rated," said Amitabh Kant, joint secretary, Ministry of Tourism.

The new United Progressice Alliance government has decided to promote pilgrim and health tourism in a big way, and the ministry's Incredible India campaign has drawn considerable attention.

"India is a huge untapped market when it comes to health and pilgrim tourism," said Ameeta Munshi, consultant (corporate communication), Thomas Cook, Mumbai.

According to Munshi, India provides huge opportunities in terms of health, as the treatment rates are significantly lower compared to the Western countries, but the medical facilities and treatment are very competent.

"But pilgrim tourism has not been promoted the way it should be," she pointed out. "We lag behind in marketing and seem to lack the infrastructure to turn these areas into money churning avenues," Munshi noted.

Elaborating on pilgrim tourism, Munshi said, apart from the Kumbh Mela, which has got considerable media hype, the sector has not been too successful in generating inbound tourists. But it could turn out to be one of the greatest sources of revenue.

"A plan has to be worked out to club pilgrim spots with venues for adventure, much like Rishikesh, to generate inbound interest," added Munshi.

"The inbound travellers back out considering the exorbitant air rates here," said George Cherian, manager, 'Bharat Dekho', Cox and Kings.

"Further, when it comes to pilgrim tourism, South India is better connected than the north," added Cherian.

"A package to the South will include the temples of Rameswaram, Tirupati, Mahabalipuram, Tanjore, Kanyakumari and Thrissur accompanied by ayurvedic treatment in Kerala. Such packages sell and attract inbound as well as domestic tourists," said Cherian.

"Places like Srinagar and Jammu have immense potential. A trip to Gulmarg, the Sankaracharya temple and later to Vaishno Devi could be an excellent package, and the concept is catching on and Srinagar is full for the season," he added.

According to Cherian, apart from aggressive marketing, uniformity in hotel rates is essential for the consistent growth of the tourism market.

"Out of the 2.75 million foreign tourists who came here in 2003, 12.24 per cent came for religious or pilgrimage purpose, while 2.20 per cent came for health and treatment," said a Department of Tourism official.

"There has been around a 300 per cent rise in foreigners coming for treatment to the hospital. For the financial year 2003-04, 6991 foreigners came for treatment," said Prashanth Karn, executive, international marketing, Indraprasth Apollo Hospitals.  According to Kant, to sell India through health and spiritualism, inter-ministerial tie-ups are a necessity.

"There is a need to evolve the hotel and health care segments in such a way that all sectors benefit. Hospitals should be classified by the standard of treatment they give and the legal system should be brought into play and issues such as legal compensation taken care of," continued Kant.

Special task force have been formulated to collaborate with other departments and special packages evolved to further the marketing aspects. Thailand and Malaysia can serve as role models when it comes to aggressive marketing in tourism and the manner in which each segment has been handled to help the sector, added Kant.

While the ministry is pursuing the policy of aggressive marketing, the travel agents are hoping that steps to improve connectivity, extensive data collection and inter-ministerial tie-ups will make India a truly spiritual experience.