In a landmark effort to elevate India’s position on the global healthcare map, the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), in collaboration with KPMG in India, launched its flagship report titled “Heal in India: Catalysing Medical and Wellness Tourism for a Healthier Global Future.”
The report outlines a transformative national strategy that integrates India’s clinical expertise with its centuries-old wellness traditions, aiming to make the country the world’s most trusted destination for medical value travel (MVT). This outlook was unveiled at the Heal in India 2025 Medical & Wellness Tourism Summit, organised by FHRAI—the apex body representing India’s hospitality sector.
Summit Inauguration: Aligning Stakeholders Towards a Global Movement
The launch took place during a power-packed inaugural session themed “Unlocking the Potential of Medical & Wellness Tourism”, bringing together thought leaders and policymakers from healthcare, wellness, tourism, and hospitality. Suman Billa, IAS, Additional Secretary and Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, inaugurated the summit and emphasized collective action to position India globally. He forecasted that the global tourism economy would hit USD 3 trillion, with medical and wellness tourism playing a pivotal role in India’s contribution to that growth.
Challenges & Strategic Direction: Scaling Trust and Impact
Billa addressed the key challenge: not just scaling market size, but increasing its economic and social impact. He called for building trust through exceptional service quality, especially for international patients, and expanding excellence beyond Tier 1 cities to smaller clusters and Tier 2 hubs by integrating hospitals, hotels, and tour providers into a unified ecosystem.
Ayurveda & Traditional Medicine as a National Brand
Guest of Honour Dr Manoj Nesari from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare underscored India’s strength in Ayurveda and traditional healing. He noted the government’s numerous initiatives to make traditional wellness systems a core component of India’s economic and health diplomacy agenda.
A Nation-Branding Opportunity in Healthcare
FHRAI President K. Syama Raju welcomed attendees with the message that “Heal in India is more than a healthcare initiative—it’s a nation-branding opportunity.” He stressed the importance of combining care with culture and credibility, setting India apart as a holistic healing destination.
KPMG’s Call to Action: Becoming the World’s Healing Capital
Presenting the report, Someswara Koundinya of KPMG India described it as a “call to action.” He noted that India must go beyond illness treatment to promote long-term wellness, leveraging policy support, digital innovation, and international outreach to become the global healing capital.
Voices of Leadership: Clinical Excellence, Beauty & Healing
Notable speakers included Prof. Minu Bajpai, who emphasized clinical capacity-building, and Dr. Blossom Kochhar, who spotlighted India’s potential in beauty-led wellness. Their insights underlined India’s multidimensional edge in global healthcare.
The Hospitality Sector’s Role in Healing Diplomacy
Rahool Macarius of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts closed the session by affirming the hospitality sector’s role in offering culturally sensitive care. He reinforced that India’s healthcare diplomacy is shifting from transactional treatment to transformational healing.
Key Highlights of the Knowledge Report
- India’s medical tourism market to rise from $18.2 billion in 2025 to $58.2 billion by 2035 (CAGR: 12.3%).
- Ranked 10th in Medical Tourism Index and 7th in Wellness Tourism.
- Over 463,000 medical visas issued in 2024, primarily to patients from Bangladesh, GCC, and Africa.
- Global market projections: Medical tourism at $41.75B in 2024, wellness tourism at $954.14B—both expected to double by 2030–34.
Strategic Recommendations & National Roadmap
- National & State-Level Missions for unified Heal in India implementation.
- Cluster development for wellness and specialty care across states (Kerala, Delhi NCR, Maharashtra).
- Capacity building for facilitators and multilingual hospitality staff.
- Tier II/III infrastructure growth via PPP models and SEZ-style hubs.
- Global campaigns using embassies, expos, and digital platforms.
- Investment incentives: Tax breaks, FDI facilitation, innovation grants.
