Spas have become a standard amenity at most hotels in recent decades, with several hotel chains placing a strong emphasis on offering top-notch spa facilities to guests. According to a Global Wellness Institute report, prior to the pandemic, the spa industry was growing at a CAGR of 8.7%, reaching US$111 billion in revenue in 2019; hotel and resort spas accounted for over 40% of the industry’s revenue.
India has emerged as a preferred medical tourism destination, with the Medical Tourism Association ranking it as the world's 10th most attractive country for medical tourism in 2020-21 out of 46 destinations worldwide. Nevertheless, India ranks higher in terms of medical tourism costs and facilities & services. The presence of several high-quality, well-equipped healthcare facilities, as well as a strong base of highly skilled and specialized English-speaking medical professionals, offering world-class treatments at much lower costs than in developed nations, are some of the reasons for the growth of this segment in India.
In the last decade, India has emerged as one of the leading medical tourism destinations globally. The presence of several high-quality, well-equipped healthcare facilities along with a strong base of highly skilled and specialized English-speaking medical professionals, offering world-class treatments at much more affordable costs compared to developed nations are some of the reasons for the growth of this segment in India. Reports indicate that medical treatments and travel in India cost up to 50% less than that in developed western countries. India has also been successful at attracting medical tourists from other developing nations, mainly from Asia and Africa, looking for specialized treatments that may not be easily available in their home countries.
Wellness tourism, one of the fastest growing tourism segments globally in the pre-COVID era, is expected to reach greater heights post-COVID as the pandemic has been a wake-up call for people - never before has health & wellness been more important than it is today.