Bengaluru positioned as the best place for medical tourism and holistic health.
This is the eighth year of Karnataka Tourism at the Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai. This time, Karnataka is promoting itself as a wellness, medical and luxury destination at the ATM.
According to K Viswanatha Reddy IAS, director – Tourism, Karnataka, “We are looking for local publicity at the ATM and this time we will concentrate on all Ayush areas –Ayurveda, Yoga, Yunani etc. We are projecting Bengaluru city as the best place to get the most sophisticated, yet cheap medical help.”
According to him, Bengaluru has the best hospitals in the country and it comes at 35% of what it costs in Europe. “There are no waiting lists for serious illnesses in Bengaluru,” he adds.
The state has always targeted the GCC countries, as safely about 5% to 10% of international tourists to Karanataka come from this region.
Spa specialists
Bengaluru has been awarded the best spa destination by the Asia Spa awards for the past two years. The board has initiated a process of categorising and classifying spas and spa resorts centres for rejuvenation and cure.
Bengaluru has been receiving tourists from the UAE and other GCC countries in large numbers, mostly from the upmarket segment.
Reddy said that Karnataka Tourism had also partnered with Bahrain for a health tourism promotion. This year, according to Reddy, the board plans to interact and partner with the tour operators in the GCC countries and also certain airlines. This kind of networking, he says, will ensure that the destinations get covered in holiday catalogues of these companies and result in more footfalls into the state.
More at the ATM
“Karnataka tourism will mount campaigns that will showcase and promote the destination. The tour operators and hotels/resorts will ensure that rooms and itineraries are sold at their end. Both the government and the private sector will move in together to ensure that the destination is sold well as an upmarket one,” says Reddy.
The state is also in the process of working out a few major tie-ups. Discussions are on between the department of tourism as well as private hotels/resorts and tour operators to promote tourism in the GCC region.
“Essentially, Bengaluru is a short-haul destination for anyone in Dubai – a weekend destination. All our packages and deals through the private sector will have this as the highlight,” adds Reddy.
The golden chariot is yet another offer that will be promoted at the ATM. South India’s first and only luxury train offers luxury in the backdrop of Karnataka’s destinations.
The golden chariot is amongst the world’s seven best train journeys. Customised packages include ones where the guest can change the itinerary and take choice of segments like Bengaluru to Hassan or Hassan to Goa as long as they meet the criteria of a minimum of four nights.
