Japan’s travellers show interest in Ayurveda

Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda healthcare is getting the attention of high end tourist market. “Lately, the Japanese travel sector has shown more interest in Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda tourism. Last week a Japanese Member of Parliament touring Sri Lanka also expressed Japan’s interest in Sri Lanka’s Ayurvedic care for Japanese tourists,” said an upbeat Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on Friday.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the simultaneous launch event of AROGYA 2014 and INTRAD 2014 at BMICH. The twin expo is scheduled to continue till today, May 18.

The AROGYA series of exhibitions were introduced by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka in partnership with the Ministry of Health and features indigenous medicinal products and services. As for INTRAD, this year is the eighth in the INTRAD series.

Attending the twin expo were delegations and participants from Vietnam, Thailand, India, Maldives and China. Also present on the occasion were Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Deputy Minister of Health Lalith Dissanayake and Sunil Wijesinha, President, National Chamber of Commerce as well as representatives from the diplomatic community in Colombo. This is the first time that the twin events are held together.

Since the end of conflict in 2009, Japanese tourists to Sri Lanka have doubled. In 2013, more than 31,500 Japanese tourists visited Sri Lanka. In the same year, Japan ranked 11th in arrivals to Sri Lanka as per tourists’ country of residence, immediately below USA, which ranked 10th.

“Already a Sri Lankan Ayurveda product brand has earned global reputation with its treatment centres being located in Europe. Today’s Arogya also takes place along with good news for this industry. I am given to understand that Japanese travel sector has shown stronger interest in Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda tourism. Last week a Japanese Member of Parliament touring Sri Lanka also has expressed of Japan’s interest in Sri Lanka’s Ayurvedic care for Japanese medical tourists. Our tourism sector reported more than 1.2 million arrivals in 2013. I wish to commend the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa for this growth” said Minister Bathiudeen.

source : http://www.lbt.lk/news/business/6893-japans-travellers-show-interest-in-ayurveda

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