What Constitutes Health Tourism: An Ayurvedic Viewpoint. Role of Social Venture Capital in Rejuvenating Ayurveda Tradition

保健觀光的組成：社會創投在傳統阿育吠陀療法的角色

Subhash K. B ； Klaus Weiermair ； Christine Lee ； Miriam Scaglione

《臺灣觀光學報》 7期 (2010/07) Pp. 55-81

https://doi.org/10.29801/THTJ.201007.0004

摘要

當西元前3500年遠古文明的開端，人們因爲尋找食物及居住的需求而開始旅行。之後旅行也漸漸取代了貿易及領土的擴張；更因爲對神的祟敬人們開始因爲宗教因素及健康上的神蹟而不遠千里地旅行。千年之後隨著對健康的重視，世界各地的醫療觀光及保健觀光變得愈來愈重要。雖然保健觀光在遠古之前就開始（例如阿育吠陀療法就是5000年來重要的替補醫學（Complementary Alternative Medicines, CAM的實證），但在上個世紀起現代化的醫療觀光已成了歐洲殖民地的重要課題及對抗治療的重要發展方向（例如現代醫療Modern Medicine, MM）。本研究針對保健觀光及醫療觀光的起源、發展、成長、衰退及復甦過程；以印度四個發展保健觀光區域(Bhishak, Dravyani, Upasthata, and the Rogi)爲例，以阿育吠陀療法發展的實證過程佐以當今環境發展進行批判性的分析，並呈現當地的現況。因爲阿育吠陀療法的低成本優點、少等待時間及零付出，人們（多半是由歐美國家）對亞洲國家（特別是印度、新加坡及馬來西亞）的替補療法的發展潛力有濃厚的投資意願。文獻研究發現保健觀光在全球是普遍地，在印度是特殊性的，而且在未來將更爲重要。藉此展望，公部門應該要以合宜且著重的方式推廣阿育吠陀療法包裝出其無醫療行爲且特殊的保健觀光產品，在此一區域以合理及永續地發展保健觀光產業。以社會創投資本投資的可行性來看，以印度地區的阿育吠陀傳統療法的替補醫學將在近年會有復甦的趨勢。

關鍵字

替補醫學 ； 阿育吠陀療法 ； 醫療觀光 ； 社會創投 ； 印度

並列摘要

From the emergence of ancient civilisations during 3500 BCE, people started traveling in search of food and shelter. Subsequently traveling took place for trade as well as for capturing territories. Then came the concept of god, people started traveling for religious reasons and eventually pilgrimage traveling got mixed up with miracle healing also. Over the years the concept of heath care started gaining prominence and presently health tourism as well as medical tourism are gaining more and more importance around the world. Though health tourism is very ancient practice [use of Complementary Alternative Medicines (CAM), and of which the most prominent one is Ayurveda dating back 5000 years], medical tourism got prominence in the course of European colonisation and the developments of Allopathic treatments [commonly known as Modern Medicine (MM)] during the last century. This paper explores the origin, development, growth, decline and revival of health tourism products (CAM), along with medical tourism products (MM). Issues surrounding health and medical tourism in today's environment are critically analysed in this paper with a special focus on Ayurveda practices in India based on the four basic ingredients (viz.; Bhishak, Dravyani, Upasthata, and the Rogi) and their present status in India. Due to its low cost advantage, small waiting time, and zero side effects, people (mostly from western and European countries) resorting to CAM is gaining more prominence in Asian countries (especially in India, Singapore, and Malaysia) where heavy investments are made for the future growth potential. Literature review shows that health tourism, around the world in general and India in particular, will become more significant in the near future. From that perspective, proper initiative should be taken by the authorities for promoting Ayurveda as a unique health tourism product emphasizing no medical side effects which in turn will attract more people resulting in the development of a profitable and sustainable health tourism industry in the region. By capitalizing on the transformational capability of social venture capital, CAM (especially Ayurveda tradition) in India and elsewhere can be rejuvenated in the coming years.

並列關鍵字

Complementary Alternative Medicines CAM ； Ayurveda ； Health Tourism ； Social Venture Capital ； India

參考文獻

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