India a 365-day destination for ME
The India Tourism office recorded tremendous growth in the medical and wellness segments. There has been a positive growth of foreign tourist arrivals from the Middle East region to India over the last two to three years.
The wellness and medical tourism sectors from the Middle East and Gulf to India have been growing at rate of 20 per cent year-on-year
With an aim to tap the tourism potential in the Gulf and Middle East region, which is emerging as an important tourism-generating market for India, the India Tourism office in Dubai is making extra effort to project India as a 365 day-family destination. The office is not only working closely with the local travel trade, but is also strengthening ties with airlines to enhance air-connectivity between both the countries. Tapping every segment of travellers, the office is underlining all attractions covering luxury travel, wellness, medical, spa, culture, heritage, nature, mountains, snow, adventure, wildlife, Bollywood and monsoon tourism.
There has been a consistent and positive growth of foreign tourist arrivals from the Gulf and Middle East region to India over the last two to three years. In 2011, tourism arrivals from this region registered an overall growth of around 14 per cent over the previous year. Some of the countries, particularly The United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Sultanate of Oman, Republic of Yemen and Republic of Turkey have registered positive growth and are emerging as major tourism-generating markets for India from this region. With the Government of India lifting restriction of the two-month gap on re- entry of foreign nationals (including UAE), the flexibility has resulted in better accessibility and flow of tourists.
Vikas Rustagi, Regional Director-Middle East, Gulf and Africa, India Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India said, “India Tourism is actively promoting the ‘ Find What You Seek’ campaign in the Gulf & the Middle East region, so that tourists can find the destination or product that they desire in India; be it heritage sites, forts, beaches, backwaters, lakes, mountains, adventure, wildlife, culture, festivals, medical, wellness, MICE, religion or shopping. India offers something for everyone and that is why we proudly say that India is an incredible destination with a range of products found nowhere else.”
According to Rustagi, the wellness and medical tourism sector from Middle East and Gulf to India has been growing at the rate of 20 per cent year-on-year. He said, “The whole world has taken a note of the massive transformation that has taken place in the Indian healthcare sector, particularly in the secondary superspecialty care in the last two decades. India is poised to become a hub for medical tourism because of several factors, which are worldclass hospitals with latest technology; highly- skilled Indian physicians and surgeons; low cost of treatment; excellent quality of care, nursing and Indian hospitality; comparatively less waiting time for availing medical services; and India’s traditional healthcare therapies like Ayurveda and Yoga.”