Tourism Ministry Formulates National Strategy And Roadmap To Boost Medical Tourism

The Union Tourism Ministry has formulated a comprehensive national strategy and roadmap with the aim of promoting medical and wellness tourism in the country.

The strategy has identified the following seven key pillars which include developing a brand for India as a wellness destination, strengthening the ecosystem for medical and wellness tourism and enabling digitalisation by setting up online Medical Value Travel (MVT) portal.

The other pillars include enhancement of accessibility for MVT, promotion of wellness tourism and governance and institutional framework.

However, as part of its on-going activities, Ministry of Tourism, releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns in important and potential markets overseas, under the ‘Incredible India’ brand-line, to promote various tourism destinations and products of the country.

The Government of India liberalised the e-tourist visa scheme and at present, it has e-medical visa and e-medical attendant visa as sub-categories of e-visa.

In the case of e-medical visa and for e-medical attendant visa, triple entry is permitted and extension may be granted up to six months on case-to-case basis on merits of each case, by the foreigners or regional registration officers concerned. Medical attendant visa is co-terminus with the validity of the principal e-visa holder.

Further, Union Ministry of Health is coordinating with other Ministries and stakeholders including hospitals, MVT facilitators, insurance companies, NABH etc. to promote medical tourism in the country.