(Economic Times article on the concept of de addiction tourism)
Move over dope, alcohol and rave parties, Gen Y from India Inc is on a trail of nature. For those who believe that narcotics and liquor have got enough of them, de-addiction tourism is the new fixation. Now, a beach house overlooking the vast Arabian Sea off Vasai coast in Mumbai, houseboats nestled in the backwaters of Kerala and various cottages in the Himalayan valleys have become destinations for them to reckon as they opt for de-addiction. While there are close to 400 de-addiction centres across India, the marriage of tourism with de-addiction has been drawing Gen Y to the hospitality sector. Not just Indians, even foreigners with drug abuse problems have been thronging these destinations to get a flavour of Indian tourism as they get treated across exotic locales of the country, says corporate general manager of Cochin-based Spice Land Holidays Madhu KG. Having launched the de-addiction tourism package in the recently held Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai, Spice Land offers addicts and their families a host of locales across the God's Own Country to choose from while an accompanying therapist takes care of de-addiction. Combining medication with meditation as one spends quality time amid tea gardens, backwaters or wilderness is not just an experiment of sorts - it transforms a person completely, Mr Madhu points out. Charging Rs 2 lakh for customised packages that could last from one week to one month, the company is targeting to tap not just Indians but also those with substance abuse problems in Europe, US and Africa.
Likewise, a little distance from Mumbai in Vasai, a beach house has been converted into a rehab centre exclusively for India Inc. Lifestyle - Detox and Rehab Centre is not a typical gloomy rehab centre that keeps off the affluent. Two kilometres from the sea, the centre offers single and double occupancy air-conditioned rooms with attached baths, European and Indian meals, swimming pool, ayurveda massage parlor, meditation and yoga centre to ensure a comfort stay of visitors. As an add on, a chauffeur-driven car drives one to this remote location from the Mumbai airport, says director of Lifestyle Sagar Utagi. Offering a full range of bio-psycho-social treatment services from detoxification right through to aftercare, the centre is attending to high-end clients from Goa, New Delhi, North East, South East Asia and Europe. For one week of detoxification programme and three weeks of rehabilitation, the one-month package costs one Rs 30,000. "We felt the need to cater to the high-end clients who otherwise seek treatment in US or Europe and hence, we created this facility to suit their taste buds while offering them treatment the very best of western-evidence based treatment with Indian traditional approaches such as ayurveda medicine, yoga and nature therapy," Mr Utagi tells ET. In neighbouring Pune, Muktangan Deaddiction Centre has expanded its horizon and taken into its fold big corporates in Western India under its de-addiction programmes. "We have extended our services to corporates to ensure prevention, reduction and management of substance abuse at work place," says liaison officer (corporate services) Muktangan Mitra Sanjay Bhagat. Meanwhile, close to the BPO capital of the country in Mysore, Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre has been attracting corporates, young executives from IT and ITeS sectors.
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