Health Update: Health Update: Kerala hosts inaugural International Ayurveda & Wellness Conclave to woo medical value travellers – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
Kerala, long marketed as “God’s Own Country,” is doubling down on medical and wellness tourism. On 2 February 2026 the state opened its first International Ayurveda and Wellness Conclave in Kozhikode, bringing together 100 of Kerala’s Ayurveda providers and 120 international tour operators from 30 countries. The two-day event aims to position Kerala as the world’s most trusted destination for authentic Ayurveda, yoga retreats and post-operative recuperation.
The conclave comes at a time when global health-tourism spend is projected to top US $1 trillion by 2030. Kerala’s Tourism Department believes the state can capture a 5 % share of that market by standardising treatment protocols and introducing a single-window visa endorsement for long-stay wellness seekers – a proposal now with India’s Ministry of Home Affairs.
Prospective wellness travellers eager to take advantage of Kerala’s forthcoming long-stay endorsement—or the existing e-Medical visa—can streamline the paperwork through VisaHQ. The platform’s India portal ( provides step-by-step guidance, live support and document-checking services, ensuring that visitors arrive with the correct visa class and compliant medical documentation, whether they’re booking a short panchakarma retreat or months-long recuperation.
Delegates will embark on a nine-day familiarisation tour of Kerala’s wellness circuit, showcasing NABH-accredited hospitals, GMP-certified Ayurveda manufacturers and eco-retreats. Organisers say the resulting B2B contracts could generate ₹1,200 crore (≈ US $145 million) in incremental foreign-exchange earnings over the next 12 months.
For corporate mobility teams, the push matters because an increasing number of assignees are extending India postings to pursue Ayurvedic treatments not covered by Western health insurance. Employers may need to update duty-of-care policies to include vetted wellness centres and clarify whether recuperative stays are taxable benefits.
Immigration advisers also expect a spike in inquiries for medical visas. While India already offers an e-Medical visa, Kerala’s proposal would allow multiple entries and stays of up to 180 days, making it attractive to repeat visitors undergoing staged therapies.