‘Wellness tourism’ a niche market yet to be tapped, says Ayurva Traveller
Tourism has had many ups and downs in recent times in Sri Lanka and in this context there exists a market out there which has not been tapped by many travel agents in the country.
Nilusha Kodithuwakku
People live busy lifes with a heavy workload for survival now-a-days. Getting away from the hectic life, foreign travellers look forward to spending their holiday with a new focus being on relaxation of the mind, body and soul. ‘Wellness tourism’ is what tourists look for these days when travelling to a country or region, says Nilusha Kodithuwakku, Managing Director of Ayurva Traveller which offers exotic wellness packages in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
In an interview with the Business Times, Ms. Kodithuwakku spoke on what ‘wellness tourism’ is all about and how Sri Lanka could move forward in that sector to attract the tourists.
She said, “Sri Lanka is not yet known as a wellness destination. There are a few resorts which provide wellness packages like the Saman Villas in Bentota. Mostly it’s the Germans, Russians and Japanese who visit Sri Lanka looking for wellness packages.” Sri Lanka can market this segment of tourism to attract a lot of European tourists who are keen on wellness, she added.
“After doing a lot of research and gathering information on what would attract tourists to any destination, we launched our website(www.ayurvatraveller.com) in November last year. Our prices are not that expensive varying on the destination and the packages the customers prefer. A three-day tour package costs around US$ 300 including spa, yoga, meditation and so on. Keeping ourselves active is what everyone prefers, no matter how hard we work and put so much of effort to live a life. If anyone can afford to spend money to relax and get relief from stress, they should take it. It’s expensive but worth it,” noted Ms. Kodithuwakku.
She also stated that tourism can pick up strongly through wellness. Sri Lanka needs to create awareness about being a wellness destination. European countries have so many wellness resorts and tourists look for the best quality. Bhutan is one of the destinations which topped the mark in providing wellness where annually wellness tourism growth is 10 per cent.
Initially Ayurva Traveller is looking forward to work with selected resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, equipped to provide travellers with the necessary facilities for detoxifying and relaxation routines. A hallmark of Ayurva Traveller is the customised, pre-booked packages which allow resorts to prepare better. This gives holiday-goers the liberty to completely immerse themselves in the holiday without any worry. Travellers can make their bookings online and upon arrival at the resort will receive special value additions. Ayurva Traveller also offers special wedding packages inclusive of resorts, photographers, and photo-shoot locations. Some elements of the wellness packages include detoxifying massages, rejuvenation treatments, organic meals, yoga experience, meditation, wellness guidelines and a special gift, she said.
The company’s vision is that every traveller who chooses to indulge in a holiday the Ayurva Traveller way, will return home a refreshed, happier person with positive energy, eagerly looking forward to their next getaway. Ayurva Traveller also aims to facilitate the growth of the wellness tourism sector in this region and provide travellers with highly-tailored packages to fulfil their leisure and rejuvenation requirements.