Since COVID-19 we have seen a drastic change in people’s perception towards wellness. The focus now is on healthy food & exercises that enhance immunity, says Prasoon Kumar Pandey, General Manager, Vana, Dehradun.
Neha Rawat
How has the response been for your retreat amid the crisis?
As travel restrictions are slowly lifting, people are eager to start travelling again. Our Vanavasis have shown a lot of interest in visiting Vana again. Most of the queries we are currently receiving are from people ready to anchor their lives with sustainable wellness. At Vana, wellness is not a pit stop but an ongoing journey that continues even after the Vanavasis resume their normal routines. We look forward to offering the Vana experience to our guests and contributing to an enhanced state of wellbeing.
What major changes have you made to your property?
Spaces at Vana are majestic and transformational. As the retreat is spread over 21 acres, the vastness of its architecture and landscape naturally ensures privacy, as well as safe distance. Although safety and hygiene have been paramount always at Vana, we have undertaken additional measures to ensure a safe space, away from the noise. We are committed to providing a safe and natural environment for our guests and team. The team, which will be catering to our Vanavasis, will be staying in-house. A non-negotiable requirement to be on the premises for both Vanavasis and the team is to be tested for COVID prior to their arrival at Vana. Additionally, an upper limit to the number of reservations has been set.
What do you think about the growth of wellness industry in the post-COVID era?
Since COVID-19 is greatly affecting people with low immunity, we have seen a drastic change in people’s perception towards wellness. The focus now is on holistic wellness which includes healthy food, nutrition and exercises that enhance immunity. As India offers traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Yoga and Sowa Rigpa, we expect wellness tourism to pick up pace. This has also been reiterated by the GWI (Global Wellness Institute) – wellness tourism will grow at an average annual rate of 7.5 per cent through 2022. Increased awareness about wellness, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and focus on mental wellness will provide a boost to the wellness industry.
What different are you offering to your guests to gain their confidence?
Our guests need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report from an ICMR authorised lab. The report must not be older than 96 hours prior to a guest’s arrival at the retreat. We are also assisting our guests in arranging these tests from the comfort of their home. Even post that, our guests are supposed to undergo temperature checks at the entrance, done by our doctors.
Anything else you would like to mention?
We have used the lockdown period to re-imagine our retreat and simplify our offerings to cater to everyone who seeks wellness. We have reduced the prices of the retreat, which now begin at `25,000 and include all meals, arrival consultation, personalised treatments and therapies as well as retreat programmes with yoga, meditation, cuisine lessons, functional fitness, talks, music, etc. and airport transfers. We have also enhanced our ayurveda and yoga offerings and placed them at the very core of Vana’s wellness offering.
“Wellness tourism will pick up pace; it will grow at an average annual rate of 7.5% through 2022”
