Medical and Wellness Tourism; Kerala as Global Hub for Ayurveda Tourism

The Government’s strategy to promote Ayush-based tourism is quite comprehensive, blending policy, infrastructure, research, and international outreach.

Policy & Tourism Integration
- National Strategy & Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism developed by the Ministry of Tourism in consultation with the Ministry of Ayush.
- Ayush Visa introduced (July 2023) to facilitate international visitors seeking Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy treatments.
- MoU between Ministry of Ayush & ITDC to jointly promote Medical Value Travel (MVT).

Research & Institutes in Kerala
- Homoeopathy: 34 research programmes at NHRIMH, Kottayam.
- Ayurveda: NARIP (Cheruthuruthy) and RARI (Thiruvananthapuram) conducting ethnobotanical surveys, phytodiversity inventories, and cultivation projects.
- Unani: CCRUM Clinical Research Unit at Edathala focusing on geriatric, reproductive, and NCD care.
- Siddha: SRRI, Thiruvananthapuram engaged in drug standardization, clinical validation, and medicinal plant research.

Funding & Support
- National Ayush Mission (NAM): Grants for medicines, HR support, infrastructure, equipment, and furniture.
- Medicinal Plants Scheme (NMPB): Project-based financial support for research on medicinal plants.
- Ayurswasthya Yojana: Two Centres of Excellence in Kerala — Arya Vaidya Sala (Cancer Research) and KSCSTE (Traditional Knowledge documentation).

Quality & Global Standards
- WHO-CoPP certification for Ayush drugs via CDSCO.
- Ayush Standard Mark & Premium Mark by QCI for compliance with national/international standards.
- Ayush Quality Mark Programme (2025) to boost consumer confidence and global competitiveness.
- NABH Accreditation: 77 Ayush healthcare organizations in Kerala accredited.
- ISO/TC249 Committee: Ayurveda and Yoga included for international standardization.

State-Level Initiatives
- Kerala formed a 14-member ASU Standardization Committee to address challenges in drug manufacturing, improve quality assurance, and strengthen regulatory compliance.
- Stakeholder workshop held in Feb 2024 to identify issues and corrective measures.

This strategy positions Kerala — and India more broadly — as a global hub for wellness tourism, combining traditional medicine with modern regulatory frameworks and international accreditation.