Wellness tourism in India during post COVID-19 era: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

The highly infectious novel coronavirus has hit hard the various segments within the tourism industry and raises questions on their survival. While the COVID-19 had severely impacted the tourism industry globally at the same time it has developed the importance of maintaining health and wellness among people. India is home of various ancient practices such as Ayurveda, Yoga, and other practices that come under AYUSH, therefore, both domestic and international tourists visit India to undertake medical and wellness tourism. This paper explores the opportunities and challenges of wellness tourism in India in the post-COVID-19 times and it further aims to provide a way to conduct future research. This paper is based on the secondary data which was accumulated through sources like newspaper articles, magazines, books, internet and the media reports. The finding of the study reveals that medical and wellness tourism is expected to rise and recuperate the Indian tourism sector in the post-COVID-19. The study also identifies the potential of the Indian wellness tourism industry and government initiatives to develop this sector in the post-pandemic times.

Assessing global perceptions of India: Policy implications drawn from foreign tourism narratives

“…Factor four, named "cultural inclination", comprising items associated with ethnicity and culture, demonstrated a reliability value of 0.716 and explained 11% of the total variance. This factor celebrated India's rich cultural tapestry, featuring diverse structural designs, historical contributions and vibrant traditions (Choudhary & Qadir, 2022). The themes prevailing here can be represented as India offering a fascinating history of numerous kings, their dynasties and contribution to making the land prosperous and rich in culture.…”

“…Also, the country has an extended history in Ayurveda due to which the country is rich in Ayurvedic treatments and still upholds traditional medication and other wellness practices (Kumar, 2017). Peace and spiritual essence make India a great place to carry out wellness-related activities (Choudhary & Qadir, 2022).…”

“…With a robust Cronbach's alpha of 0.858, it explained 12% of the variance. The factor emphasized India's affordability, diverse accommodation options and the allure of ethnic products, making it a competitive shopping destination (Choudhary & Qadir, 2022). Moreover, India offers a range of accommodation and experiences suitable for all kind of travellers, be it luxurious journeys or budget-friendly ventures.…”