Governor backs Indian city for medical tourism

27-Sep-2008

The governor of the Indian state of Punjab, General Sunith Francis Rodrigues, has set out plans for bolstering Chandigarh's image as a medical tourism destination.

Marking World Tourism Day, the general, who is also the administrator of Chandigarh, said that the city should be promoted as a destination of choice, not just for domestic tourists but for overseas travellers as well.

In addition to other forms of tourism, General Rodrigues particularly stressed the need to place a special emphasis on medical tourism and said that the administration would be focussing on introducing special packages to attract visitors.

He highlighted the high quality of Chandigarh's state-of-the-art medical facilities and said that the city was an ideal environment for patients to recover, with its green surroundings and reputation as 'The City Beautiful'.

India is well-known for its modern technology and highly-skilled medical professionals and, as a result, many patients choose to travel to the subcontinent for treatment.

In addition, its ancient healing system of Ayurveda, along with traditional yoga and meditation, are particularly popular among recuperating patients who are able to combine the intriguing culture with some of the cheapest, yet most reputable, healthcare in the world.