Business
Luxury retreats flooded with overseas enquiries as India opens for foreign tourists
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, March 26: India opened its skies on Sunday (March 27) for foreign tourists after two years of Covid-induced shut-down. Luxury retreats, which have held off challenges faced by a pandemic-crippled industry, are anticipating a rise in demand with the resumption of regular international flights.
Ananda in the Himalayas, a destination spa resort in the foothills close to Rishikesh in Uttarakhand state, has witnessed an all-time high interest from foreigners after the issuing of tourist visas recommenced in December 2021.
Mahesh Natarajan, chief operating officer of IHHR Hospitality Ananda, its owner company, says: “Several of our regular Ananda guests from various countries have written to us describing a void they have experienced these last two years when they could not continue their annual wellness programme.”
The luxury brand has received a glut of enquiries from overseas recently, especially for its panchakarma- (an Ayurvedic technique) and meditation-based programmes, reflecting the twin needs of physical and emotional cleansing and rejuvenation after such a challenging period.
“Starting March-end, we expect a very buoyant demand from clients from the US, Western Europe, West Asia and other regions,” Natarajan adds.
A financial hub like Mumbai is already seeing pent-up demand from foreign business travel, says Amruda Nair, Director of Araiya Hotels & Resorts. However, she believes that the real impact for leisure tourism will be witnessed during the winter season from November to February.
“In long-haul markets such as the US, there is certainly interest in the cultural, heritage, wellness and adventure destinations in India. I am already seeing returning guests from the US in my hospitality business in Europe,” says Nair. Apart from three resorts in India, she also runs operations under Araiya Malta in the European nation.
Allen Machado, CEO, Niraamaya Wellness Retreats, says their overseas clients — particularly from the UK, US and West Asia — are showing willingness to return to India. The war in Ukraine, however, has dimmed interest from CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries, he adds.
“If international flights open up, we will see a good inflow and resurgence July onwards, particularly in the second and third quarters of this financial year,” Machado says.
Niraamaya runs wellness retreats (four in Kerala, one in Bengaluru and another in Kohima) and private residences (in Goa, Kerala and Karnataka). Earlier, 80 per cent of its visitors were from abroad. Post-Covid, that was reversed to more than 90 per cent in favour of domestic clients, who are extremely price-sensitive. Niraamaya had to re-strategize its revenue model, and effect a drop of up to 40-50 percent in tariffs.
There has been a major shift in how people choose their holidays, with hygiene and safety measures, less crowded destinations that are within a driving distance, and healthy cuisine forming a trend that is here to stay, says Machado.
Evolve Back Resorts got in touch with its foreign travel operators and destination management firms after a gap of nearly two years. Its Executive Director Jose Ramapuram expects overseas traffic to pick up only from October “as we now enter an off-season as far as in-bound tourism is concerned.”
“We are, however, experiencing demand from long-distance travellers from within India,” he adds. “During the pandemic, we found a lot of regional travellers from within Karnataka (where Evolve Back has three properties) and nearby states.”
In November 2019, Evolve Back had also acquired its first international property in Central Kalahari. Botswana, where its resort is situated, had no domestic demand and catered only to the international market. Following the pandemic, for two years, it had few guests. But the African nation has now opened up, and Evolve Back is seeing a rise in international demand.
Back in India at Ananda, which offers the luxury of retreating to a secluded 100-acre forest estate reserved only for resident guests, the highlights include personalisation for every guest — be it wellness assessment and guidance, one-on-one sessions of yoga and meditation, or tailor-made gourmet meals.
At Araiya’s 38-room Palampur resort in Himachal, overlooking the Dhauladhar range, its new offerings include walking tours in nearby villages and hikes in the mountains with trained guides from the neighbouring local community.
Apart from those who drive to the hills from places in the North within a four- to six-hour radius, there is an increased willingness to take single flights such as from Delhi to Dharamshala, Amruda Nair points out.
She cites a study by online travel firm Expedia last year, which suggested that the top drivers of value for people when booking hotels are enhanced cleaning measures, flexible cancellation policies and ease of refunds. She expects this trend to continue, even as luxury resorts expect increased demand with Indian tourism finally opening up.
Major stock markets in Asia slumped on Monday after Washington and Tehran threatened to escalate hostilities, as the Iran war enters its fourth week.
Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index was almost 3.6% lower, while South Korea’s Kospi fell by almost 6%.
US President Donald Trump warned on Saturday that he would “obliterate” Iranian power plants if Iran did not open the key Strait of Hormuz shipping route. Iran said it would respond to any such strikes by targeting key infrastructure in the region, including energy facilities.
Japan and South Korea have been particularly impacted by the conflict, as they are heavily dependent on oil and gas that would normally pass through the strait.
Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s busiest shipping channels, since the US and Israel attacked the country on 28 February.
About 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually passes through the waterway – and the war has sent global fuel prices soaring.
On Monday, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said that the war could see the world facing its worst energy crisis in decades.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Australia’s capital, Birol compared the current energy crisis to those of the 1970s and the impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“This crisis as things stand is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,” he said.
“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!,” Trump said in a social media post published at 23:44 GMT Saturday.
That threat came after Iranian missiles hit the Israeli city of Dimona, and shortly before a second attack on the town of Arad nearby.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament, said on Sunday that energy and desalination infrastructure in the region would be “irreversibly destroyed” if his country’s power plants were attacked.
Such action would significantly escalate the conflict, which has already disrupted global energy supplies, pushing up prices and causing fuel shortages.
Other markets in the Asia-Pacific region were also lower on Monday.
Hong Kong’s Hang was down by almost 3.5% and the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite index 2.5% lower.
Global oil prices were broadly steady, with Brent crude 0.45% higher at $112.69 (£84.56) a barrel and US-traded oil was up by 0.7% at $98.93.
[BBC]
Human resources remain the biggest challenge despite advanced logistics
Industry-wide cost pressures are also beginning to surface
In Sri Lanka’s pharmaceutical trade, the journey of a medicine does not end when it arrives at the port. It must still travel safely across the island – through regulated warehouses, temperature-controlled transport and complex distribution routes – before reaching the pharmacy shelf where patients need it.
That journey is increasingly being powered by Healthguard Distribution, the pharmaceutical logistics arm of Sunshine Holdings, whose expanding distribution network now plays a critical role in ensuring the reliable movement of medicines across the country.
At the centre of that network is the company’s Western Regional Distribution Centre (WRDC), a temperature-controlled logistics hub designed to support the safe storage and efficient distribution of pharmaceutical products across the Western Province.
Spanning nearly 18,920 square feet, the facility functions as a key node in the company’s islandwide distribution system. Originally acquired in 2008 to serve as the main warehouse for Swiss Biogenic Ltd., the site evolved alongside the company’s growing operations. Following a major upgrade programme that began in July 2024, the facility recommenced operations in July 2025 as a fully compliant regional distribution centre aligned with international quality standards.
According to Sunshine Pharmaceuticals and Healthguard Distribution Chief Executive Officer Shantha Bandara, the company’s logistics model is built around a simple but comprehensive concept.
“Our approach is ‘Port to Pharmacy’,” Bandara said during a recent media visit. “We collect pharmaceutical consignments from the Port of Colombo, clear them through Customs, store them under regulated conditions and then distribute them to pharmacies across the country. Importers and manufacturers do not have to worry about logistics – we manage the entire process.”
The distribution network today serves over 4,500 authorised pharmaceutical outlets, including pharmacies, hospitals, channeling centres, supermarkets and SPC Osusala outlets. Operations span 150 main towns and 466 sub towns, supported by 111 active delivery routes and seven regional distribution centres located across the island.
Within that system, the WRDC is the largest and among the most technologically advanced hubs.
The facility maintains strict cold-chain conditions for temperature-sensitive medicines. Its cold room capacity has been expanded from 15 cubic metres to 30 cubic metres, enabling compliant storage of products such as insulin within the required 2–8°C range. Online temperature monitoring systems operate across all storage zones while data loggers are used for insulin deliveries to ensure product integrity throughout the supply chain.
Delivery vehicles are also equipped with GPS tracking and temperature monitoring systems, allowing real-time visibility of shipments.
Automation and digital systems are increasingly shaping the operation. Software automation supports invoicing and customer credit verification, while sales teams use digital tools for order canvassing. The company’s enterprise systems provide real-time inventory and accounting visibility, supported by data dashboards used for operational decision-making.
To safeguard continuity, the facility is equipped with a high-capacity backup generator and dedicated on-site fuel storage, ensuring cold rooms, monitoring systems and warehouse operations remain functional even during power outages.
Behind the infrastructure is a workforce of 102 employees, supported by a specialised 15-member value-added services team trained in Good Distribution Practice (GDP), cold-chain management, safety and emergency response.
Yet despite the sophisticated logistics and infrastructure, Bandara told The Island that the most persistent operational challenge lies in human resources.
“We have the infrastructure, the logistics systems and the operational capability,” he noted. “However, maintaining the required number of skilled employees is an ongoing challenge because the labour market is constantly fluctuating. Our HR team is continuously recruiting and training to keep the workforce at the required level.”
Industry-wide cost pressures are also beginning to surface. Company officials noted that rising fuel prices could eventually affect transportation and electricity costs within the distribution chain, which may in turn influence pharmaceutical logistics expenses in the short term.
Still, the broader goal of the company remains unchanged – ensuring that medicines reach patients safely and on time.
From the moment a shipment arrives at the Port of Colombo to the point it reaches a pharmacy shelf, the process depends on precision logistics, regulatory compliance and operational discipline. For Sri Lanka’s healthcare supply chain, Healthguard Distribution’s growing network is becoming a key driver of that journey from port to pharmacy.
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Singer Sri Lanka, the nation’s foremost retailer of consumer durables, celebrates a truly historic milestone at the SLIM-KANTAR People’s Awards 2026, securing a prestigious triple victory while marking 20 consecutive years as the People’s Brand of the Year, an achievement made possible by the enduring trust and loyalty of Sri Lankan consumers.
This year, SINGER was honoured with yet another triple win with People’s Brand of the Year, Youth Brand of the Year and People’s Durables Brand of the Year at the awards ceremony. This remarkable recognition reflects the deep and lasting relationship the brand has built with Sri Lankans across generations, standing as a symbol of trust in homes across the island.
Janmesh Antony, Director – Marketing said: “This award belongs to our customers. Being recognised as People’s Brand for 20 years, alongside Youth and Durables Brand, reflects our commitment to staying relevant across generations.”
Mahesh Wijewardene, Group Managing Director said: “Twenty consecutive years as the People’s Brand is humbling and inspiring. This milestone strengthens our commitment to keeping customers at the heart of everything we do.”
Asia stocks slide as US and Iran threaten to escalate war
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Fuel price hikes trigger transport disruptions and calls for fare increases
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CMC resumes parking fees
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