Ayurvie Weligama welcomes top Ayurveda tour operators, journalists

 Fitreisen Group Managing Director Claudia Wagner, Fitreisen Group Head of Ayurveda Uwe Endres, NEUE WEGE Bewusst Reisen Managing Director Markus Hegemann, and journalists Hans-Jorg Baston and Nathalie Gütermann during the FAM tour 

• Group marks first FAM tour of the tourism restart

Ayurvie Weligama, a Theme Resorts & Spas property, has welcomed the first familiarisation tour of the tourism restart. 

A German delegation compromising 

Fitreisen Group Managing Director Claudia Wagner, Fitreisen Group Head of Ayurveda Uwe Endres, NEUE WEGE Bewusst Reisen Managing Director Markus Hegemann and journalists Hans-Jorg Baston and Nathalie Gütermann arrived early morning on 22 January at Bandaranaike International Airport.

Upon arrival, they were transferred to Weligama in a bio-secure bubble and had their PCR tests done at the hotel prior to check in as per the health guidelines. 

During their tour to Sri Lanka, the high-level delegation will visit Ayurveda hotels and attractions in a bid to promote Ayurveda in Sri Lanka to the German market as well as provide confidence to all future travellers.

Before the pandemic, the wellness tourism was the fastest growing market segment worldwide with 6.5% growth annually, more than twice as fast as tourism overall (3.2%), based on Euromonitor data. In Sri Lanka, the Ayurvedic tourism sector is largely dominated by the German market. The sector consists of around 60 Authentic Ayurveda retreats which adds up to 1,100 rooms. 

This segment shows huge growth potential in the coming months with Sri Lanka’s main competitor India currently closed to international tourists. In addition, on average the minimum stay of an Ayurveda client is around 14 days where they will stay in one retreat to receive a Panchakarma treatment. This is ideal for the new normal as it complies perfectly with the tourist guidelines.

This tour is organised and planned by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau with initial accommodation sponsored by Ayurvie Weligama by Theme Resorts & Spas and the transport sponsored by Connaissance De Ceylan. 

Theme Resorts & Spas expressed its thanks to the Minister of Tourism and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairperson and her team for organising the fam tour.