Spiritualism Sells: India to Relax Visa Rules to Attract Yoga Enthusiasts

New Delhi (Sputnik) — As part of its elaborate preparations for the International Day of Yoga on June 21, India has eased its visa policy, keeping a firm eye on the estimated USD 80 billion market for yoga worldwide.

The government has decided to include “attending a short-term yoga program” in its list of activities warranting the issuance of a Tourist Visa. Additionally, the government has decided to include “attending a short-term yoga program” and “short-term medical treatment via Indian systems of medicine” in its list of activities which would qualify visitors to receive an e-Tourist Visa. The Ministry of Home Affairs says the “government has decided to include short-term yoga programs in its Tourist Visa and e-Tourist Visa [programs].”

​Presently, a Tourist Visa is granted to foreigners seeking to visit India if their objectives are limited to recreation, sight-seeing and casually meeting friends or relatives. The e-Tourist Visa is granted to foreigners whose travel objective is limited to recreation, sight-seeing, casual visits to meet friends or relatives, short-term medical treatment or casual business visits.

​According to a research paper prepared by the Indian industry body ASSOCHAM, "events like ‘International Yoga Day’ will give way to yoga tourism in India.  Today, yoga has millions of practitioners worldwide. It promises to become multi-billion dollar market in the form of health clinics, ayurveda resorts, holiday camps, corporate training etc. With yoga gaining popularity around the world, there’s a shortage of trained yoga instructors."

As per the recent estimates, there is about a 30–40 percent annual increase in demand for yoga learning in India due to growing publicity and health awareness. This demand trend is likely to accelerate.