Health tourism is a niche tourism developed by the competing tourism promoting countries in order to attract people travelling with the prime purpose of getting healthcare. This chapter depicts the concept and history of health tourism, health tourism trends and health tourism potentials of India.Traveling for health and wellness is one of the most important tourist patterns of economic returns generated by the tourism industry, tourist destinations and the health sector. With the Kingdom's economic renaissance and the great development in the medical field, Health and wellness Tourism pattern has become most viable tourist and development pattern in the Kingdom aided by both natural and those created by the State and the private sector. Under the guidance of his Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, SCTH President, the Commission has paid particular attention to the development of health and wellness tourism through a number of steps by working with partners in the public and private sectors to provide the right environment and develop its products and services and programs. SCTH has developed specifications, standards and procedures for the health and wellness tourism programs in hospitals, medical centers and health resorts an accommodation, contributing to this valuable tourism program.
Health and Wellness Tourism is travelling to another city for the purpose of receiving medical or wellness services. It is divided into two categories:
1.Health Tourism: travelling to receive medical treatment in specialized institutions jointly with tourism programs.
2.Wellness Tourism: healthy people travelling to other cities to maintain their physical and psychological health through receiving certain services in specialized institutions.