India considering wellness, medical tourism policy, says Mahesh Sharma

The Centre is planning to launch a wellness and medical tourism policy on International Yoga Day on June 21 to tap the huge potential of the sector, Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said on Friday.

A web portal listing the names of the accredited institutions and the services they offer and the rates would also be launched, he said at a press conference here.

The minister was addressing the media after India’s rankings in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitive Index (TTCI) for 2017 rose up 12 points to the 40th position, up from the 52nd position in 2016.

India’s rankings, which in 2015 was 65, have been calculated from 14 parameters among 136 countries.

According to Sharma, the government has also formed a National Medical and Wellness Tourism Promotion Board, which has noted cardiac surgeon Naresh Trehan and yoga guru Ramdev as members, to chalk out a strategy for boosting tourism through the segment.

Talking tourism 

The rate of foreign tourist arrivals (FTA) around the globe is 3.9%; India’s FTA 10.7%

Japan and China’s rankings rose up five points and two points respectively; on the other hand, the rankings of the United States and Switzerland fell by two and four points respectively.

(With PTI inputs)