Focus on health tourism

Maharashtra’s Directorate of Tourism aims to attract more medical and wellness tourists from the UAE and the Gulf region, as it announces MoU with destinations at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai.

Maharashtra’s Directorate of Tourism and Medical Value Travel Council of India (MVTCI) have signed MoUs with the UAE, Bangladesh and Oman in the Gulf region to bring the West Indian state’s wellness and healthcare tourism offerings to citizens and residents in these countries. The event took place at the ongoing World Expo 2020 Dubai. Maharashtra is showcasing its culture and tourism potential in addition to trade and commerce. The state tourism department aims to explore long-term collaborations with organisations in the UAE and the region in the areas of business, investment, and medical and wellness tourism.

At the event, Aditi Tatkare, Minister of State Tourism, GoM said, “The Government of Maharashtra provides world-class health amenities at 50 per cent lesser cost.” The Maharashtra Government’s Tourism Directorate and MVTCI have created a roadmap for encouraging patients from other countries to seek out services in the State.

Milind N Borikar, Director of Directorate of Tourism, said, “Maharashtra is the one-stop destination for end-to-end healthcare services and specialised healthcare providers, diligently creating a healthy ecosystem.” The state  was recently recognised at WTM- London for eco-village and tiger conservation projects, in addition to winning global responsible tourism awards, and the International Agro Tourism Award for having over 1,000 agri-tourism centres.

Under the Regional Tourism Development Scheme (RTDS), over  250 destinations are being developed. The state’s responsible tourism policy ensures optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.