At present, Sri Lankan wellness tourism remains a nascent industry, focused on traditional medicine. It is complemented by a connected but separate segment focused on western medicine. Sector growth is private sector-led, with companies already aware of the demand for Ayurvedic wellness offerings and developing products in this segment. As a global phenomenon, ‘wellness’ can come in many different forms. International travellers with wellness (or health) in mind look for services that are based on local traditions and natural assets. There is growing demand for hotels with a health orientation, as well as for facilities with a well-defined specialization or concept.
Thus, the Wellness tourism sector shows promise to contribute to employment in local communities, ushering prospects of regional and collective prosperity. In recognition of the significant potential of the wellness sector, it has been chosen as a priority sector of the National Export Strategy (NES). The National Export Strategy seeks to make Sri Lanka an export hub driven by innovation & investment. The strategy for the Wellness Tourism sector aligns very well with the overall aspirations of the NES. The National Export Strategy will seek to establish Sri Lanka as a prominent hub for Wellness Tourism in the region. The goal of Sri Lanka’s Wellness Tourism Strategy is to develop the sector strategically by addressing constraints in a comprehensive manner and by defining concrete opportunities that can be realized through the specific steps detailed in the Strategy’s Plan of Action (PoA).
The Strategy’s main focus will be on wellness offerings for health-related tourism but tourism offerings focused on western medicine will be examined, although to a lesser extent, in order to identify the most pressing requirements in that segment.
The following delineates the proposed vision and strategic approach in this Strategy. This vision statement was agreed upon by all stakeholders in the wellness tourism value chain in Sri Lanka:
“Sri Lanka: the preferred destination for well-being”
For the latest on the wellness tourism industry please visit: https://www.srilankabusiness.com/wellness-tourism/
