EDB teams with international expert Dr. Franz Linser to foster medical and wellness tourism sector

The EDB organised a wellness tourism seminar with Dr. Franz Linser, international wellness tourism expert from Austria on 27 February at the EDB. Around 70 participants from the Ayurveda resorts, Spa centers, Private hospitals, travel companies and tourism consultants participated this seminar along with some government officials overlook this sector.  

Dr. Linser is the Managing Director of Linser Hospitality, Austria and much sought-after guest speaker in international wellness forums. Dr. Linser has more than 20 years of experience in the luxury wellness and spa industry and expert in developing innovative state-of the-art health and wellness projects. 

Linser set up his first own business, a consulting company developing health concepts for the upper level hotel industry as well as health seminars for a demanding luxury hotel clientele and engaged in numerous international projects in health and wellness tourism. Dr. Linser established Austria’s largest wellness cluster with 100+ companies today. 

In 2014 he was appointed as the Board of Directors of the Global Wellness Summit and he has been sharing his experience as a juror for several industry awards, such as the World Travel Award, the World Spa Awards and the European Health and Spa Awards. 

During the seminar, Dr. Linser enlightened the audience on Wellness Tourism trends in European region and the opportunities for Sri Lankan service providers. According to Dr. Linser the Sri Lankan wellness tourism industry could attract the ageing population in European region and provide medical solutions with tourism attractions. 

Dr. Linser highlighted the assets we have in Sri Lanka in the tourism industry and mentioned that Sri Lanka needs a well-focused product portfolio to promote the country through European region. The EDB provided the opportunity to Ayurveda resorts, private hospitals and travel companies to meet with Dr. Linser to obtain his expertise to individual business concepts also. 

EDB Chairperson and Chief Executive Indira Malwatte mentioned the need of a blend of the two main segments, western medicine and indigenous medicine as we have well developed sectors. Moreover, she stated the quality of the Sri Lankan offerings when compared with other countries and the importance of implement a strategy for the wellness tourism sector in order to achieve the national export targets.  

The EDB has identified the wellness tourism sector as a key focus sector and the Wellness Tourism Strategy was developed as part of the National Export Strategy (NES) of Sri Lanka, under the aegis of the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade and the Sri Lanka Export Development Board with the financial support assistance of the European Union, as part of the ‘EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assistance’. 

The EDB is planning to continue this collaboration with Linser hospitality to promote the Sri Lankan wellness sector capabilities in target markets and interested companies can provide their inputs for this national endeavour.