‘Ayurbodha’ Offers New Age ‘Enlightenment’ to Tourists in God’s Own Country

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Adding to its portfolio of innovative products, Kerala Tourism has launched a unique initiative, AyurBodha, which gives Kerala-bound tourists not only an opportunity to savour the unmatched grandeur and beauty of the state but also enlightens them with the basics of life-changing Ayurveda and its virtues as a holistic wellness system.
‘Ayurbodha’, the newest product of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) aimed at blending tourism and knowledge of Ayurveda, was formally launched by Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran at the World Travel Mart here today, one of the largest events of its kind in the world.
Under the initiative, the traveller can stay at any of the KTDC resorts located in the captivating and pristine parts of Kerala and learn about the ancient medicinal stream of Ayurveda. The focus would be on basic home remedies and diet regimes, Ayurvedic practices for the rejuvenation of body and soul, secrets of pressure points, basics of ‘panchakarma’ treatment and the history and use of medicinal plants.
And the icing on the cake lies in the fact that the traveller goes back not only enlightened but also with a certificate for gaining knowledge of Ayurveda.
“Ayurveda, as a wellness system and a mainstay tourism product, has been largely confined to treatments and massages. While Kerala is known as a destination for spending serene and peaceful holidays, our time-tested tradition of the ancient Ayurveda can enrich every visitor’s experience,” Surendran said.
The launch was attended by Dr. Venu V, Principal Secretary, Kerala Tourism; Bala Kiran, Director, Tourism; R. Rahul, Managing Director, KTDC; and industry buyers from various countries, among others.
“It is a unique experiential tourism initiative that has enormous potential to increase footfalls in God’s Own Country. It unfolds new vistas of Ayurveda as an enticing tourism offering and will surely appeal to the visitors from both India and abroad,” Dr Venu V. said.
Ayurbodha will cover the best of locations of KTDC in Kerala, including the flagship ‘Samudra’ at Kovalam beach; Aranya Nivas, a jungle lodge at Thekkady situated inside the Periyar Tiger Reserve on the banks of Periyar river; the colonial era tea estate bungalow ‘Tea County’ at Munnar in the picturesque Western Ghats tea plantations; and the ancient Dutch palace-turned-resort of Bolgatty Island Resort in Kochi.
Blessed with spectacular natural beauty, Kerala has been the cradle of the 5000-year-old Ayurveda and is endowed with rare medicinal plants. KTDC has roped in the best of the Ayurveda practitioners for the Ayurbodha initiative.
‘Through this programme, the visitors will get a primary knowledge on the depth of Ayurveda and its wider use, which will surely be a unique experience to them ’, said KTDC Chairman Shri M Vijayakumar.
“The aim of Ayurbodha is to provide tourists with life-changing knowledge of Ayurveda which is not just a medicinal stream but a way of life,” Rahul said. “It will give the tourist a firsthand knowledge of Ayurveda and a chance to tap into the rich repository of India’s most famous traditional medicinal and wellness system,” the KTDC Managing Director added.
The 15-day Ayurbodha package has been priced at just 100 dollars a day per person, and it includes accommodation and complimentary breakfast. The location can be chosen according to one’s preference.
The November 6-9 World Travel Mart is being attended by around 51,000 travel professionals and key industry buyers from around the world.