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Punjab has vast potential for wellness tourism: Experts
In a panel discussion, “Soulful Punjab: Discovering inner harmony through wellness tourism”, the state’s efforts for making improvement in the wellness sector were discussed
On the opening day of the first tourism summit and travel mart organised by the Punjab government at Mohali, the tourism and cultural affairs department showcased the state’s potential for wellness tourism.
In a panel discussion, “Soulful Punjab: Discovering inner harmony through wellness tourism”, the state’s efforts for making improvement in the wellness sector were discussed.
Kuldeep Singh, associate director of KPMG, who was the moderator of the session, said chief minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government had released the first draft of the wellness tourism policy to invite suggestions from stakeholders.
Under the draft policy, the state has proposed to open high-end centres to promote health, and manage a healthy lifestyle, where services such as ayurveda, naturopathy, spa, yoga, meditation and skincare treatment would be provided. These centres will further help in generating employment opportunities for the youth of Punjab, he added.
MD of Shathayu Ayurveda Bengaluru Dr Mruthyunjaya Swamy emphasised that Punjab has a huge potential for wellness tourism as 40% of the raw material for ayurveda medicines is being produced by Punjab. Besides, wellness tourism industry has remained USD 800 billion in 2022, and is expected to grow at a rate of 12% till 2030. “Post-Covid, people are more concerned about their health, and are prioritising on their mental health too,” he added.
Loveleen Multani Arun, founder-director, Panache World, a boutique travel company based in Bangalore, said now a days, even healthy people avail health services for regular routine checks as prevention is always better than cure. “Punjab has a huge potential in attracting people to the state,” she said.
Hem Khosla, founder of Curedemy, a digital education platform, said they are going to establish an institute over 50 acres in Kapurthala to make Punjab disease-free and will also produce trainers to prevent people from chronic diseases.
Raja Ram Munnuswamy, president of Global Organisation for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), France, said they will join hands with the state government to strengthen and promote tourist activities and they would sign an MoU with the Punjab tourism department. GOPIO international will also work on promoting Punjab tourism and its activities, he added.
Roheit Hans, founder of Noumenaa Consulting Services, said travelers today seek more than just comfortable vacation destinations; they desire immersive experiences filled with solace and peace that connect them with local culture and traditions.
Sajeev Kurup, managing director of Perumbayil Ayurvedamana, an ayurveda centre in Kerala, and Vinita Rashinkar, an author, health and wellness expert, speaker, spiritual counsellor and tourism and wellness specialist, also stated that there is a lot of untapped potential and new avenues for sustainable wellness tourism in the state.
