CHAPTER 6

RECOMMENDATIONS & SUGGESTIONS

 Chapter – 6

Recommendations & Suggestions

Whatever is the issue of the ayurveda tourism industry of Ernakulam district,

there is no single drug therapy for the issues as in the case of ayurveda. The solutions
are tailor made to suit one to one. A thorough study to identify and analyse the
problems and issues might results in identifying the possible options to best remedy a
problem.

A simple step of PLAN – DO – CHECK- ACTION may point out the

preliminary and the basic issue. But, the problems related to the personnel may require
Human Resource and knowledge in Behavioural Models.

6.1.Recommendations & Suggestions

Ayurveda tourism should be developed to alternative to other medicines,

though it is another way of life. To tap the oppourtunities in the medical tourism
industry, ayurveda has to concentrate on therapeutic treatments rather than wellness
treatments. Wellness part of the ayurveda is projected by the ayurveda tourism
facilitators for the benefit and convenience of the resort based treatment centres.

Ayurveda tourism for many has become the massage pleasure. The focus of ayurveda
tourism should be on the threrapeutic part and on the real ayurveda. The treatments
should be strictly on client oriented.

The government should initiate to have the restriction on the practice of ayurveda by
the ‘ayurveda illiterates’.Also, make necessary regulations with regard to the education
qualification, experience, conduct and code of the practioners, remuneration etc. of the
vaidyaas, doctors, masseurs, nurses, helpers etc. of the ayurveda tourism facilitators.

Kerala tourism department has to set up a new “regulatory apex body” to analyse the
requisites of the ayurveda tourism. Also this could act as a check against the
malpractices in the ayurveda tourism industry. This would realy save districts like
Ernakulam, which has the highest recognition as a tourist destination.

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Along with the infrastructure standards of the Ayurveda tourism industry in Ernakulam
district, the government has to take measures to standardize the quality of the treatment.

Instead of just advertisement in the official website of the tourism department, they
have to initiate promoting potential investors in the field.

Government subsidies and grants should be assisted to the investors in the ayurveda
tourism sector of Ernakulam district. To identify these investors, get assistance of the
“regulatory apex body” by keeping guide lines and regulations.

Government should take initiative and provide financial assistance for innovations in
Ayurveda tourism sector of Ernakulam district.

Demand oriented pricing is followed by the ayurveda tourism facilitators in Ernakulam

district. This might be opposed by the tourists in the long run. The pricing policy could
be shifted to differentiation pricing or product line oriented pricing. Differentiated
pricing allows charging different prices for the same product in different zones / areas
of the market. For eg: “Santhigiri” charges comparatively less price in their own
outlets, whereas, a higher price tag is pasted on the ayurveda tourism products that are
offered at their frachisee outlet at ‘Bolgatty Palace’. Product line pricing aims not to fix
optimal prics for each product independent of other products, but to fix the price of
each product in such a manner that the entire product line is priced optimally resulting
in optimal sales of all the products in the line put together and optimum total profits
from the line. This very much advisable pricing as many of the ayurveda tourism
products are interrelated and each of those products improves the efficacy of the other.

There are potential areas in Ernkulam District where ayurveda is required. Ayurveda
tourism facilitators in Ernakulam district is concentrated on the location where the there
are potential of foreign tourists arrival. If the former request is considered, there are
possibilities of achieving greater sales and profits.

Product personality of Ayurveda Tourism Industry could be improved by branding the

products, adding unique features to the products (USPs), increasing the product lines
and product mix, innovation of new products, identifying new locations and products to
suite the new location. Differentiation of the product is very important as Ayurveda
Tourism has competition from the countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand etc.

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Identifying the insurance companies and banks that could ease the finanacial crisis for
the treatment would increase the number of clients going for Ayurveda. Deferred
payment could be applied by the firms, if necessary.

Location of the treatment Centres have a pivotal role to play in Ayurveda Tourism.
Discovery of a new destination with good facilities would attract more tourists,
compared with a destination which is usually popularized as a ‘tourist destination’.

Data collected from corporation and municipalities of Ernakulam District reveals those
location where there is no Ayurveda centre. This could be developed into potential area
of Ayurveda tourism. New product, new place and new business would be a good
strategy to those potential areas.

Complexity of the reach to the end users of ayurveda tourism could be minimized using
both the traditional way of marketing and the modern techniques like the
intermediaries, travel agents, tourist’s guides, foreign exchange agents etc…

Promotion and development of new tourist sites, accommodation facilities,

transportation, etc. would bring more tourists to the state and hence the development of
Ayurveda tourism in Ernakulam district.

Usage of modern technology like the internet/website promotion, television

advertisement, features, write ups and advertisement in Travel and Tourism Journal,
advertisements and write ups in in-flight Magazines would be appropriate for the
promotion of Ayurveda Tourism of Ernakulam district to reach the foreign clients.

Word of mouth publicity has more reliability. Also the authenticity of Government
classification would help to improve the credibility of ayurveda tourism facilitators in
Ernakulam district. To improve the publicity, quality measures have to be taken by the
government.

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To have a reach to its customers the firms in the Ayurveda Tourism Industry in
Ernakulam district, should consider the existing customers’ satisfactory level. This
would lead to develop better policies and products for the expected customers.

Firms should also study the origin of inbound tourists, their purchasing power, buying
behaviour, social environment, life style, habbits, their decision making styles etc. This
would help to develop marketing strategies suite to each tourists’ population.

As ayurveda tourism industry is observed and directed by two departments, the

interaction between these two industries is very important for the promotion of Kerala
Ayurveda Tourism in Ernakulam district.

Developing “quality circle forums” *56within the ayurveda tourism industry would help
to enrich the lives of workers and aid in creating harmony and high performance. The
team leader can be a government official from the “ regulatory apex body”.

The accreditation of Ayurveda Centres as “Olive or Green leaf”, should be made as

mandatory. The quality of treatment, educational qualification of vaidyas, doctors,
nurses and masseurs should be ensured, rather than on facilities. Incentives, subsidies,
grants etc. to these centres might also promotes accreditation and thereby quality.

The intensity of the competition in the ayurveda tourism industry should be considered
while deciding on the marketing mix of ayurveda tourism in Ernakulam district.

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(* The term quality circles derives from the concept of PDCA (Plan, Do, Check,
Act) circles developed by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. These are formal groups and meet
at least once a week on company time, usually under the leadership of their supervisor
(or an elected team leader), who are trained to identify, analyze and solve work-related
problems and present their solutions to management in order to improve the
performance of the organization, and motivate and enrich the work of employees. An
ideal size of Quality circle is seven to eight members. )

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While developing marketing strategies the Ayurveda Tourism in Ernakulam district
firms should consider the competitors sales levels, their strength, weaknesses etc.

The intensity of rivalry among existing competitors if any should be considered while
deciding on marketing strategy of ayurveda tourism in Ernakulam district.

As, the market situation is monopolistic condition, there is free entry and no barriers.
Each firm in the ayurveda tourism industry in Ernakulam district should differentiate
their product using Unique Selling Propositions for the survival.

The bargaining power of buyers of ayurveda tourism of Ernakulam district has to be

considred in the long run. As there might be a change in attitudes, purchasing power,
taste, fashion,life style, buying behavior etc.

The Trade practices within the ayurveda Tourism in Ernakulam district, motives and
attitudes of the channel partners should be considered while deciding the marketing
strategies of Ayurveda Tourism in Ernakulam district.

Degree of sophistication and usage of technology within the Ayurveda Tourism

industry in Ernakulam district and the alternative medical industry should be
considered while formulating the decisions in marketing.

As the customers include foreigners, each counties value of the money, strength of our
rupee against each currency, trade and tariffs should also considered while deciding on
the pricing policies of the Ayurvdea Tourism in Ernakulam district.

The culture of the patients and the customers should also be considered while deciding
on the product, place, and promotion of the Ayurveda Tourism Industry.

The Government should conduct frequent campaigns and road shows to educate the
general public regarding the tourism export and the exchange that we get in return to
that. Public should also be informed about the need of tourism, its impact on our
economy etc.

Ayurveda tourism brokers, suppliers etc. should be given counseling regarding the
treatment, time that would be taken to diagnose and the post treatment period, the
medicines and their actions, the methods and procedures of the treatment, the
restrictions of certain act or food etc.

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Popularising the ‘Real Ayurveda’ would help tourists differentiate the ‘pleasure
massage’ part and the treatment part. This would also help to differentiate the product
from its substitutes. Moreover, it helps to top its position among the ayurveda tourism
providers like Thailand, Sri Lanka etc.

While allocating marketing funds, the Government should give importance to both the
international and domestic ayurveda tourists. Also, develop strategies to tap more
tourists from the existing tourists markets. Formulate market specific strategies to
optimally use the potential of the existing markets.Developing policies to identify new
markets would also help to gain more ayurveda tourists to Ernakulam district.Specific
strategies will have to be developed for short haul/ long haul tourists.

Market research should be conducted by the department to identify the necessity of

direct air connectivity from major source markets to Kerala and Ernakulam district.The
Market Research system should be strengthened by incorporating collection of detailed
tourist profile with the support of tourist accommodation providers in Ernakulam
district.

The Department of Tourism should initiate strategies, products and packages to

increase the average length of stay. The department should assist, support and promote
ayurveda tourism industry in developing multi experience packages.

Manpower is more involved in the preparation of Ayurveda medicines. Automation

could be done where ever possible if the production is done in massive scale. For eg:
sauting of herbal juices to form medicines could be done with electronic spatulas which
would reduce manual labour. This will not deteriorate the quality of medicine.

It is examined that the tourism department make tourism plans for 10-20 years.The
department has to take initiate to make targets for each year, from each tourism
segment, and from each district of the state. This helps the department to exercise on
Plan – Do – Check- Action, if any deviation on the achieved against the set goal.

The Government should have frequent interaction with the Health Department and
Tourism Department to synchronize the “Ayurveda Tourism Industry”. To promote
“Ayurvda Tourism” Government should create strategies and campaigning programmes
to attract more tourists for “Ayurveda Rejuvenation Season”. For, Ayurveda would be

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more effective during Monsoon. This would also results in promotion of “Monsoon
Tourism”.

The positive way of promoting the “Ayurveda Tourism” during recession is

highlighting the “Ayurveda”, the medicinal part more than tourism. The results would
be the promotion of both the industry.

If Ayurveda is positioned in a strategic way, as wellness and secured way of treatment,

it could attract more number of patients and thereby tourists. Also, the Government
should take initiative to promote Kerala as a synonym and authentic in Ayurveda
treatments. The quality of the medicinal herbs in Kerala, the climatic conditions to suit
the rejuvenation should also be highlighted. This would also give mileage to Kerala as
a destination. Ernakulam district in specific should highlight the logistics connectivity
and its importance in the historical map.

The Government should assist financially the Ayurveda Centres that are affiliated to
Touirsm Department for attaining the Export Certificate. Documents clear
through”single window” system would be helpful for the industry.

One should be punished severely if found guilty with regard to teasing or cheating of
foreigners. The police wardens, local body governors, tourism industry professionals,
Ayurveda professional etc… should be given training how they could help tourists in
trouble. Necessary action plans should be formulated to deal with teasing and cheating
of foreigners. Ernakulam district has to develop responsible tourism along with
ayurveda tourism so as to attain quality service.

Figure 41.Collaboration framework options & considerations

Note : Insights are drawn from http://www.deloitte.com/us/medical tourism

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Figure 41. depicts the collaboration framework options & considerations for the
ayurveda hospital in Ernakulam district with the foreign hospital to be bigger in
service, augmented by exchange of services between both the hospitals. This will also,
reduce their investment cost in many areas and cut down the induction and training
charges. The sharing and collaborating process increases the number of foreign
inbound patients to Ernakulam district . This inturn increases the export of the country
and tourists revenue. Also allied industries might get benefited of utilizing their
services.

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