In line with the increasing focus on experiential and wellness travel in the UK market, Incredible India will showcase a lively celebration of spiritual tourism at WTM this year.
Highlights on the stand will include:
An insight into the ancient chakra system, originating in India and now widely incorporated into wellness techniques around the world; the chance to tune into spiritual music from various Indian traditions, as well as listening to the evocative sound of bells as you pass through the stand; sampling the ritual of spinning Buddhist prayer wheels, which will adorn the stand; learning more about spirituality on the sub-continent via QR codes placed around the stand.
Indian wellness tourism has grown rapidly in recent years and the government is keen to build on this growth with new initiatives and investment. Visit the stand and hear about how the tourist board is developing wellness tourism outside of the main spiritual centres.
In 2018, spiritual and wellness tourists will be encouraged to explore new destinations off the beaten path, including far flung monasteries in Lahaul Spiti, Araku and Ananthagiri villages, Gorakhpur the hometown of Yogi Adityanath and Ayodhya, the location of the Ram temple-Babri Masjid.
Other spiritual tourism experiences in India include:
Auroville – a universal city in South India dedicated to the idea of human unity; stay at Palais de Mahe, member of Mr & Mrs Smith at the French colonial city of Pondicherry (cghearth.com)
Varanasi – ancient city on the banks of the River Ganges – the holiest of the sacred cities in India. Stay at Taj Nadesar Palace (tajhotels.com)
Ladakh – vast, lunar landscapes, famed for Buddhist temples. Stay at Shakti Ladakh (shaktihimalaya.com)
Rishikesh – the birthplace of yoga; stay at Ananda In The Himalayas or nearby at Vana Retreat in Dehradun – both specialise in wellness and spiritual experiences (anandaspa.com; vana.co.in)
The stand will also celebrate the destination as a 365-day destination and the new Incredible India 2.0 Campaign.
Find out about the plans for the next stage of the Incredible India campaign, hear about the celebrities involved and learn how targeted digital campaigns and a new visitor website will help to promote tourism.
