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Fresh
aura for Ayurveda tourism
The
Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine
recently organised a workshop, at the Auditorium of Sri Lanka
Tourism, to explore the possibility of promoting a new concept
‘Ayurvedic Tourist’.
Ayurvedic Tourism seems has become a booming industry in the
region. Large numbers of Westerners have become disenchanted,
with the high cost of healthcare of their Allopathic system
of medicine and its many side effects. At present, the growing
emphasis the world over is, on natural/herbal and holistic
methods of healing and the ancient science of Ayurveda, which
fulfills all these requirements. Ayurveda is has become popular
globally
Indigenous medicine, which was practiced in Sri Lanka, for
several centuries, has now got a new lease of life, due to
the growing global interest and thus, both ministries have
decided to set up a new framework of standards, to inprove
the level of professionalism, within the industry, to serve
foreign clientele also.
A new committee has been set up by Minister of Tourism Milinda
Moragoda, with the objective of setting standards and conducting
workshops for Ayurvedic practioners and therapists, to improve
their professionalism and also educate them to handle the
tourists and also cater to their demands. Minister of Indigenous
Medicine Tissa Karraliyadda, Secretary of Ministry of Tourism
George Michael, Secretary, Minister of Indigenous Medicine,Mr.
Asoka Malimage, Chairman of Ayurvedic Tourism sub committee
Dr. Cooray Widasekara, and more than 200 resource personnel
participated at this workshop.
This new form of tourism is expected to produce a lot of jobs
and earn more foreign exchange for the country, said the Minister
Karraliyadda, in his key note address, at the opening session
of the workshop. This is the first time, these two ministries
have been able to work together and this will definitely help
to uplift Ayurvedic medicine to cater to local as well as
foreign clientele.
Dr. Cooray Widasekara, the sub committee chairman of Ayurvedic
Tourism told the Media that, many local Ayurvedic physicians
are used to an uncomplaining, unquestioning Sri Lankan clientele.
A few hotels in Sri Lanka cater almost exclusively to Ayurvedic
tourists, but the demand seem to exceed supply and there is
scope for a lot of expansion, within the industry. A lot more
people need to be trained as Ayurvedic physicians and therapists,
to cater to the demand. The idea of this workshop is to collect
the experience and create a new concept, for Ayurvedic Tourism.
He said that, many people are seeking the help of Buddhist
priests for amulets, to still their mental flux and also look
for centres, to teach them yoga and meditation. Dr. Cooray
Widasekara said that this was an aspect, that needed to be
further developed within the country, to cater to the demand.
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