A Voyage of Medical Tourism through Alternative Medicine (With Reference to Bathini Fish Medicine in Hyderabad)

"From the Bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health." - Catalan ProverbIndia is a leading player in the medical tourism industry. It is increasingly emerging as the destination of choice for a wide range of medical procedures. The medical tourism market in India was estimated at $333 million in 2004. It is anticipated to grow by 25 percent annually and to become a $2 billion-a-year business opportunity by 2012. Andhra Pradesh is slowly picking up the heat of Medical Tourism. Hyderabad is the 1st City in AP to catch the fire.To gain more from health tourism, the state government has to be in search of opportunities. Alternative Medicine (AM) is one such avenue which has proven to be a great contributor in Kerala.The paper identified the popular alternative medicines in AP. The paper unravels "Bathini Fish medicine" which is very popular in AP, attracting lakhs and lakhs of tourists from within and outside India. An analysis of the economic value of "Bathini Fish medicine" as an Alternative medicine is discussed. It studies the advantages gained by various entrepreneurs through the people who visit Hyderabad on the purpose of this medicine. The paper explores the challenges being faced by the medicine. The paper suggests various strategies for further growth and development of this medicine and to turn out it as a health tourism opportunity.The paper concludes with the scope of Health Tourism in AP and how "Bathini Fish Medicine", an alternative medicine can be taken as an advantage to grow Health Tourism in AP.