Chandiagarh : In line with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s commitment to transforming Punjab into the next wellness tourism destination, the Tourism and Cultural Affairs department showcased the state’s significant potential for wellness tourism. Punjab boasts accessible locations and diverse topography, ranging from semi-hilly areas to extensive agricultural landscapes and rivers. On the opening day of the 1st Tourism Summit and Travel Mart 2023, jointly organized by the Punjab Tourism & Culture Affairs department and Invest Punjab at Amity University on Monday, a panel discussion was held under the theme “Soulful Punjab: Discovering Inner Harmony through Wellness Tourism.” Experts praised the state for its various efforts to enhance the investment ecosystem in the wellness sector. Financial Commissioner Forest, Mr. Vikas Garg, also participated in the session. Kuldeep Singh, Associate Director of KPMG, who was the moderator of the session, informed that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led state government has already released the first draft of Wellness Tourism Policy to invite suggestions from stakeholders. Under this draft policy, the state has proposed to open high-end resorts/centres to revive energy, promote positive health, and manage a healthy lifestyle, where services such as Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Spa, Yoga, meditation, skincare treatment would be provided. These centres will further help in generating employment opportunities for the youth of Punjab, he added. Dr. Mruthyunjaya Swamy, MD of Shathayu Ayurveda Bengaluru, emphasised that Punjab has a huge potential for the wellness tourism as around 40 per cent of the raw material is being produced by the Punjab state for Ayurveda medicines. Loveleen Multani Arun, Founder-Director, Panache World- a boutique travel company based in Bangalore said that now a days, even healthy people are ready to spend on their well-being as prevention is always better than cure. Hem Khosla, Founder of Curedemy is the digital education platform, said that they are going to establish an institute over 50 acres in Kapurthala district to make Punjab a disease free and will also produce trainers to prevent people from chronic diseases.
