7th EDITION OF HOSTOCON
AT PU
National Tele24 News
Vinay Kumar
Chadnigarh
University
Institute of Hotel and Tourism Management (UIHTM), Panjab University
Chandigarh, Panjab University organized its 7th edition of HOSTOCON, an international
conference on medical health and wellness tourism in India, Status Trends
and Future Prospects. The dignitaries for the event were His Eminence Mr. Willy Kipkorir
Bett, High Commissioner Kenya to India, Dr. Marina Ambrosecchio, President and
founder UET Italia, Dr. Bikas Mehdi, PGI, Professor R.K. Gupta, Vice Chancellor Maharaja
Agrasen University, Professor Sanjay Kaushik, Director ICSSR and Dean College Development
Council, Dr. Subhash Sharma, PU Fellow and Dr. Varinder Garg, Radiologist, OSD
to Health Minister PGI. In his welcome address Dr. Subhash Sharma
described significance of India in medical tourism also one of the
best locations to obtain top quality medical treatments and
indisputably a leader in the promotion of medical tourism. He further emphasisied
that Indian health care industry is growing at a faster pace and it is likely
to increase by $280 billion industry by 2020.Dr. Varinder Garg discussed
that India is equally competent to its western counterparts as it
offers low cost treatment and competent quality of services. He said
that Kitchens in homes of India are itself a pharmacy. The amalgamations of various
herbs and spices Served as potential healers for various diseases and ailments.
He also said that channelizing medical tourism would help create employment and
boots infrastructural facilities. Prof. R.K. Gupta during his
speech told that medical tourists come to India for dental,
cosmetic, cardiovascular and neurological treatments. He
suggested that tourism sector should work closely with the industry
chambers, students should be trained with an additional language,
there should be a joint platform of information and communication
also the services of Ayurveda homeopathy and naturopathy should be expanded
and panchkarma should be highlighted. Prof. Marina emphasized that India and
Italy should work hand in hand for expanding their niche medical
tourism and to tap its full potential. She discussed how Italy and
India are similar in respect of medical tourism however, lack of Proper infrastructural
facilities and marketing have somehow lead to the degradation in medical
tourist’s influx. Mr. Willy said that Kenya and India have
relations since ancient times. Also he said that Kenya is a
potential market of medical tourists for niche medical tourism in
India. He described the reasons for the emergence of medical tourism in India. According to him time has come for the policy makers for
putting up framework and suggesting the government. Dr.
Bikas Mehdi explained how people who had been treated by Indian doctors had
a lesser mortality rate. He described how competent MBBS professionals in India are.
However the communication was found to be a drawback for the development of
niche tourism. Prof. Sanjay Kaushik described the model for ideal
medical tourism and suggested three ways for expansion of the same.
Dr. Prashant Gautam, Director UIHTM, presented the vote of thanks.
