Team Herald
PANJIM: While the Centre has begun the process to set up ayurvedic institutes and hospitals in Goa, Tourism Department is already promoting the State as an ‘ayurveda hub.’ The department has assured its visitors that Goa is a pollution-free State, marking it best suited for ayurvedic holidays.
“Goa in India is a pollution free state, and also it is the only State with the highest forest cover. So the air you breathe is pure and healthy. Definitely a right place to practice ayurveda and its old age benefits. A holiday by itself anywhere is rejuvenating and at a serene and beautiful coast of golden beaches, it surely helps a person more if he or she has an ayurvedic holiday,” states a promotional message on the website.
Claiming Goa to be a blend of east and west, and a land of peace; a senior tourism official told Herald that Goa is being promoted as ‘Ayurveda is Rejuvenating and Goa is Refreshing’ across the world.
“A combination of these two makes your trip more meaningful as ayurveda encourages in preventing and protecting from sickness and diseases,” the message states adding, “Goa is a magical state. It has a kind of multi faceted personality. Very few know that the only place where an ayurvedic doctor’s statue is erected in the centrum is Goa. Goa is endowed with innumerable varieties of medicinal plants, thanks to Western Ghats. And hence the medicines needed for ayurvedic treatments are easily available and taken directly from nature without any adulteration. The weather also is warm enough to perform ayurvedic therapies. The combination makes your holiday truly healthy and happy.”
The State has witnessed good arrivals with many foreign nationals preferring ayurvedic therapy besides taking part in yoga. The State has also been in the country’s leading ayurveda destinations.
Meanwhile, Goa saw a 30 percent increase in charter arrivals with statistics indicating that 2240 flights landed at the Dabolim international airport as against 1645 recorded last year. However, Goa recorded low spending tourists in the season just ended.
