Ayurveda

For a lead role in up-market tourism:

Vipula Wanigasekera

Only a few hotels can offer authentic Ayurveda

Decades ago, there were hoteliers who were complaining of the smell of herbal oils arising in the surrounding area from plants that were introducing Ayurveda treatment for the first time. Today, almost everyone is into Ayurveda treatment, whether authentic or not.

The web pages on Ayurveda display a kind of competition between Kerala and Sri Lanka. On the surface, it may be construed as trying to share the cake. But the rational picture says that the cake is so big and competition is healthy.

The benefits that Ayurveda offers overruns the price tag when the travellers are health conscious to the extent that they seek effective alternatives to the unhealthy side effect of modern medicine.

To that extent, the marketing and communication efforts of both destinations could draw westerners into these countries to enable them to enjoy the long-term benefits of Ayurveda. Therefore, the first task is to retain the market share in the West for the region and allow the industry to compete on the strengths.

Kerala incorporated Ayurveda in a big way in ‘Incredible India’ campaign and now stands tall as a pioneer in Ayurvedic healing. Sri Lanka could only cater to a limited number of visitors who had previous experience in the country or were influenced by friends or relatives. There was no other opportunity to push ‘Sri Lanka Ayurveda’ prior to initiatives such as ‘Ayurveda’ exhibition and symposium held this year.

However Ayurveda is described in medical terms or laymen’s language, it should at the end benefit those who seek Ayurveda treatment. In Sri Lanka people have relied on Ayurveda for centuries with over 75 percent of the population still taking Ayurveda treatment. That is the key to the success of Ayurveda in tourism rather than identifying Ayurveda with a mere head or foot massage, as they do in other countries.

Ingredients for Ayurveda medicine

The preventive aspects of Ayurveda need to be incorporated into Tourism. Ayurveda recommends healthy living with dietary and socio-cultural norms. Some foods are discouraged. Vegetarianism is advocated. Ingesting alcohol and smoking are prohibited.

Ayurvedists study the patient with the object of restoring normality. The Western practitioners specialize in identifying the disease and annihilating it. Ayurvedic medicine which is non toxic, is made to restore the natural resistance and immunity of human beings. This must be adequately and effectively conveyed to respective market niches that seek Ayurveda.

The pioneers who ventured into Ayurveda in tourism must be encouraged with State assistance. Apart from the Health Resorts in Wadduwa, Beruwala and Weligama that offer consultation and programs for treatment and therapy, the initiatives like ‘Ayuveda’ must be converted to regular national events if we are to differentiate Sri Lankan Ayurveda from the region.

Asoka Hettigoda repeatedly argues that we should always call it ‘Sri Lanka Ayurveda’ because, similar to the archaeological history, the country had its own indigenous system of medicine which has been practised for many centuries although the Ayurvedic tradition of Sri Lanka is a fusion of Siddha systems of India and Unani medicine from the Arabs, but most importantly, the Desheeya Chikitsa, an indigenous medicine of the island nation.

The purpose of holding the Ayurveda exhibition and symposium which was chaired by Hettigoda, was to present Sri Lanka Ayurveda to the world and create a meaningful dialogue among stakeholders with the intention of advancing the Ayurvedic movement through which tourism can benefit.

The symposium revealed that Ayurveda is getting more popular in the world beyond expectations. With all negative outcomes of recession, Western society is turning towards traditional medicine and Sri Lanka would be a beneficiary. Ayurveda is one definite aspect of tourism that can grow because of its - a) time tested health remedies, b) contribution to green tourism, c) non seasonal travel and d) acceptance of any location in the country.

Ayurveda is a new dimension of wellness tourism offered by the tourism industry. But, they say, only a few hotels can offer authentic Ayurveda and have harnessed the benefits of this valuable sector.

The Desheeya Chikitsa, indigenous treatment of the island nation.

Meanwhile, Ayurveda products can bring a large amount of foreign exchange into the country. Apart from the fact that healing is long-term, the medicines come from roots, stems, fruits, seeds, bark, flowers, leaves, plants and nuts. Also added sometimes are honey, milk, pearls, musk, shells, iron, gold, silver and copper.

The visitors must be convinced that Ayurveda is not merely a system of healing, but an entire way of life that aims to bring about the perfect balance of the entire personality - body, mind and spirit. Like the mental health, it is more important in today’s context where inner happiness has a direct correlation to physical well-being.

What Sri Lanka Ayurveda offers today is what the world is searching for. Credible treatments to lose weight, Ayurvedic oils and elixirs are all made with only herbs that goes well with the vegetarian community, meditation for stress relief and improved performance, Yoga for balancing of energies, rejuvenation through Panchakarma treatments and ‘Feel Good’ factor with acceptable sugar, cholesterol levels and blood pressure etc.

The tourism potential for Sri Lanka Ayurveda is unlimited. To illustrate one point according to Hettigoda, millions of people the world over are suffering from Arthritis, Rheumatism, Psoriasis, etc. They are looking for trusted alternative therapies Sri Lanka Ayurveda offers effective therapies. In EU alone there are over 40 million who are suffering from some form of arthritic pains.

At a time tourism has just begun to boom with jumps in June and July already, we may well have the expertise of the 16,000 Ayurvedic doctors in tourism while the oils and tonics made from local ingredients will generate earnings of foreign exchange.

Ayurveda Tourism can play a leading role in developing up-market tourism which is the need of the hour before the numbers hit the maximum capacity while the product development can take a few years.