Buy-1-get-1-free booster shot for medical tourism

THE tourism ministry is finalising a scheme wherein a tourist visiting India for a particular medical treatment will be offered an additional treatment free of cost for a smaller ailment. The scheme will be part of the schemes implemented by the government to increase foreign tourist arrivals in the backdrop of the global slowdown, a senior official in the tourism ministry said.
    The ministry is
in advance discussion with all major hospital chains such as Apollo, Manipal, Moolchand, Fortis and Wockhardt to offer the complementary treatment.
    “Now, foreign medical tourists would be offered one additional treatment for free. Almost all major hospitals have expressed their interest in partnering with us,” tourism secretary Sujit Banerjee told ET.
    As per the plan, medical tourists coming for a surgery or any other major treatment in the country would be offered a smaller additional treatment for free. For example, a patient coming for a bypass surgery could be offered a complementary skin treatment or something similar according to the patient’s preference.
    Foreign tourist arrivals in the country has been hit hard by the recessionary trend all across the world. The number of foreign tourists visiting India has been in the negative territory since November last year. Tourist arrivals picked up slightly in February, thanks to various promotional schemes launched by the government along with airlines, tour operators and hoteliers.
    Under the existing promotional scheme, a companion of a foreign tourist gets free air passage provided they fly with Jet Airways, Kingfisher and Air India. The tour package also provides extended stay in hotels across the country and complimentary sightseeing tours to rural eco-holiday destinations. The tourism ministry has also roped in spa centre operators into the scheme. The measures are part of the government’s ‘Visit India 2009’ plan. The bookings under the proposed scheme beginning this month will continue till the end of the year.
    The tourism ministry has set a target of doubling the number of foreign tourists arrivals to the country by the end of 2010. It has launched road shows in various source countries such as the US, the UK, Canada and Australia to increase the number of visitors.
    nirbhay.kumar1@timesgroup.com 

 

 

 

 

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Hotels may feel the heat this summer

THE gloom in the tourism industry is likely to continue with holiday traffic expected to be down 30% this summer season. This is despite the fact that most hotels have reduced prices for leisure destinations by 30-40%.
    Sarovar Hotels executive director Ajay Bakaya said Indians are still not warming up to the idea of a holiday due to the economic environment. "Occupancies across locations have dropped by 20-25%. The summer vacations are also not expected to see many families make their travel plans," he added. Sarovar Hotels is the franchisee for Carlson Hotels' brands in India such as the Park Inn and Park Plaza and has its own branded hotels.
    An executive with a travel company, who didn't wish to be named, said the advance bookings for the summer season have been lower than anticipated.
    With tourists putting their India travel plans on the backburner, most hotels are trying to woo Indian families. For instance, the Leela Kempinski Hotels and Resorts has slashed rates for destinations such as Kovalam and Goa by 15-20%, with room only (meal excluded) packages starting at Rs 8,970 - 9,270 for two nights.
    Others such as the Trident Hotels are offering value-added holiday packages. Trident has low-priced packages for cities such as Agra, Kochi, Jaipur and Udaipur priced between Rs 14,000 and Rs 18,500 for a two-night stay. Oberoi Group president Rattan Keswani said the hotel group anticipates a 10-12% increase in contribution from domestic travellers this season.
    A senior executive with the Leela said that despite discounted packages for foreign destinations, Indians are preferring to go for short breaks to domestic destinations. "If one chooses to go for foreign destinations, it requires more time and one ends up spending more money. Domestic destinations means one can travel over a long weekend at discounted rates," he said.
    Added Thomas Cook managing director Madhavan Menon: "The number of Indians opting for foreign packages for the industry this year, over last year, is anticipated to see a marginal growth." The travel company recently floated packages as cheap as Rs 49,999 to woo Indians to go to South Africa to watch the upcoming India Premier League matches.