Ayurveda Tourism in Gujarat, India - Business MoU signed by Ayu doctor

Publication:Indian Express
Date:Dec 18, 2006;
Section:Ahmedabad city edition;

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Monday, December 18, 2006
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MoU on tapping ayurveda tourism

Express News Service Ahmedabad, December 17: TO capture the billion-dollar wellness travel market of Latin America and the Caribbeans, city-based Holistic Medical Centre and Centre Holistico-Ayurvedico del Este of Venezuela, have entered into an agreement for mutual promotion of ayurveda and tourism. This is claimed to be the first such agreement between Gujarat and Venezuela.
Under the agreement, there will be an exchange programme between Caribbean islands, Latin America and Gujarat in areas of health, tourism and business. A three-batches group consisting of 20 members each will arrive here in March next year, said Vaidya Prerak Shah of Holistic Medical Centre.
The services planned under the agreement include stress management, counselling, ayurvedic traditional massage, beauty therapies and diet counselling, besides ayurvedic spa and resort facilities, which are latest in the trend in the world. ''We are trying this in the Caribbean to promote ayurvedic lifestyle,'' Shah said.
Indiana M de Monterverde, director of the Venezuelan venture, said this was her first visit to India and that Gujarat was preferred over Kerala for the inherent qualities of Gujaratis as strong believers in God, having amiable nature and great devotion to what they did. ''My experience with Gujarat is marvellous, unlike the West, people here are not stressed out. Vegetarianism and non-alcoholism have attracted me to the State,'' she said.
Hinting at the profile of clientale to be targetted under the agreement, she said that 70 per cent of tourists to the Caribbeans were Americans. She was also appreciative of the Vibrant Gujarat campaign.
However, Shah clarified that the Memorandum of Understanding was his own initiative and did not have anything to do with government support.

Ayurveda Tourism in Gujarat state, India - A new dimention

Publication:Times Of India Ahmedabad;
Date:Dec 18, 2006;
Section:Times Business;
Page Number:14

Holistic Medical Centre, Venezuelan firm to promote ayurvedic tourism

TIMES NEWS NETWORK Ahmedabad: To promote ayurvedic tourism, both here and in Latin American and the Caribbean countries, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Sunday by the Holistic Medical Centre, Ahmedabad, with a Venezuela-based company, Centro Holistico (CA) Ayurvedico del Este. Indiana M De Monteverde, director, CA, who signed the agreement, said: "Wellness tourism has a niche market of $20 billion and Gujarat has the potential to become a major player in ayurvedic tourism due to its vast cultural, historical and ayurvedic heritage." She added, "For globetrotting Gujaratis, Caribbean and Latin American countries can also become tourist destinations, as we have strong Indian roots." Dr Prerak Shah, partner of the local centre, said, "We are taking an integrative approach for ayurveda and tourism, which will be promoted in Latin and Caribbean countries. Wellness tourism is an emerging market where Gujarat has a immense possibilities being rich in herbs , ayurvedic expertise and tourist places." According to the MoU, there would be traditional massages, beauty therapies, ayurveda diet suggestions, lectures and seminars to promote ayurveda. It will be introduced in retreats, spas and resorts in Latin American countries with the help of Indian expertise. The first tourist batch from Latin America will arrive in Ahmedabad this March; the package will include ayurvedic treatment with visits to archeological sites, palaces, temples, heritage sites, animal and bird sanctuaries across the state. Ayurvedic practitioner in UK, Aswin Barot—who hails from Gujarat and was present on the occasion—said, "Ayurveda has a huge following in the West and we need to propagate its positive impact on an individual. Ayurveda tourism will have a wholesome package of Ayurveda treatment with equal focus on promoting Gujarat as a tourist destination."