Kerala’s long-standing reputation as an Ayurveda destination is getting a fresh policy push, with the Centre stepping up measures to promote Ayush-based medical and wellness tourism and position India as a global hub for traditional healthcare.
The Centre has introduced Ayush Visa for international visitors seeking treatment. It has partnered with India Tourism Development Corporation to promote Medical Value Travel in Ayurveda and other traditional systems.
Kerala figured prominently in the Centre’s Southern Zone Medical Value Travel Summit held in Chennai in May 2025, alongside Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry.
The State has a sizeable Ayush research network too. The work of two CCRAS institutions—the National Ayurveda Research Institute for Panchakarma at Cheruthuruthy, and the Regional Ayurveda Research Institute in Thiruvananthapuram—ranges from medicinal plants and traditional diets to clinical and botanical studies.
Kerala is home to research institutions in homoeopathy, Unani and Siddha as well. The National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health, Kottayam, currently has 34 research programmes, while the Siddha Regional Research Institute at Poojapura focuses on clinical research, drug standardisation and scientific validation of traditional formulations.
The Centre is supporting Kerala’s Ayush infrastructure through the National Ayush Mission, providing funds for medicines, manpower, equipment and the construction, renovation and upgrading of healthcare facilities. Two Centres of Excellence have also been approved in the State under the Ayurswasthya Yojana.
Quality and international accreditation are emerging as another key plank of the strategy. Kerala has 77 Ayush healthcare organisations accredited by NABH, while the Ayush Quality Mark Programme, launched in 2025, seeks to improve quality assurance and strengthen the international competitiveness of Ayush products and services.
The Centre is facilitating WHO certificates for eligible Ayush drugs and promoting Ayush Standard and Ayush Premium Marks through third-party assessment.
With Ayurveda and Yoga being taken up under international standardisation mechanisms, and Kerala constituting a State-level Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani standardisation committee, the State is increasingly positioned at the intersection of traditional healing, modern quality systems and medical tourism.
With its established Ayurveda ecosystem, research institutions and healthcare infrastructure, Kerala could emerge as one of India’s strongest gateways for global Ayurveda and wellness travel.
