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- Recently, the Ministry of Tourism has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism.
- The policy envisages promoting India as a Medical Value Travel (MVT) and Wellness destination.
- Medical & Wellness tourism may be defined as ‘activities related to travel and hosting a foreign tourist who stays at least one night at the destination region for the purpose of maintaining, improving or restoring health through medical intervention’ .
- To create a robust framework and synergy amongst the Ministries of Central Government and State Governments and Private Sector for promoting India as a Medical Value Travel (MVT) and Wellness destination.
- For this, a new National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board will be created as Minister of Tourism as its Chairman.
- It will provide a dedicated institutional framework to take forward the cause of promotion of Wellness & Medical Tourism.
The Strategy has identified the following key pillars:
- Develop a brand for India as a wellness destination.
- Strengthen the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism.
- Enable digitalization by setting up Online MVT Portal.
- Enhancement of accessibility for MVT.
- Promoting Wellness Tourism.
- Governance and Institutional Framework.
Steps taken for the Promotion of Medical and Wellness Tourism
- The Ministry of Tourism, releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns in important and potential markets overseas, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand line.
- ‘Medical Visa’ has been introduced, which can be given for specific purposes to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment.
- ‘E- Medical Visa’ and ‘E-Medical Attendant Visa’ have also been introduced for 156 countries.
- The Ministry of Tourism provides financial Assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical/ Tourism activities.
Way Forward
- Tourism encompasses multiple ministries and takes place in and within many states and thus requires collective efforts and cooperation with centre and other states.
- To truly ensure a seamless tourist transportation experience we need to standardise all interstate road taxes and make them payable at a single point which will facilitate the ease of doing business.
SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT
