PANAJI
The State government has notified the Goa Wellness, Ayurveda and Yoga Policy, 2026, setting up a comprehensive regulatory and accreditation framework for wellness centres across the State.
The policy seeks to bring uniform standards, credibility and oversight to the rapidly expanding wellness sector, covering Ayurveda centres, yoga and meditation facilities, holistic health centres, integrated wellness resorts and nature-based retreats.
At its core, the policy aims to position Goa as a nationally and internationally recognised hub for wellness tourism, offering high-quality and globally benchmarked experiences. The policy also lays emphasis on ensuring safety, authenticity, ethical practices and service quality, while safeguarding the interests of visitors and practitioners.
Officials said the framework will help identify and regulate unauthorised or non-compliant centres, a move seen as critical to protecting Goa’s reputation as a premium tourism destination.
The policy will apply to all existing and proposed wellness, Ayurveda and yoga centres in Goa, whether operating independently or within hotels, resorts and tourism facilities. While accreditation will remain voluntary, it will be mandatory for centres seeking inclusion in official tourism promotions and branding initiatives.
It clarified that beauty salons, gyms, physiotherapy units and non-AYUSH facilities or medical establishments will remain outside the policy’s ambit unless they offer structured wellness programmes. Religious institutions offering yoga or meditation as part of non-commercial activities are also excluded.
A key feature of the policy is the creation of a ‘Goa Wellness, Ayurveda and Yoga Committee’, which will oversee accreditation, quality standards and overall implementation. The committee will include representatives from the tourism and health departments, AYUSH bodies and domain experts, and will be empowered to grant, renew, suspend or withdraw accreditation.
Inspection and Assessment Committees will be constituted to carry out on-ground verification of facilities, including infrastructure, staffing, treatment protocols, hygiene and sustainability practices, before recommending accreditation.
The policy also aligns the wellness sector with the State’s broader tourism strategy, integrating it into the Goa Tourism Master Plan with a focus on sustainability, responsible tourism and regenerative development.
In addition, it lays thrust on employment generation, skill development, certification and entrepreneurship in the wellness sector, with a focus on local participation.
The policy will also ensure that only accredited centres are represented under official branding and promotional platforms.
“The Policy shall promote Goa as a credible, high-quality and globally competitive destination for Wellness, Ayurveda and Yoga tourism. It will facilitate the integration of accredited wellness facilities into official tourism promotion, marketing and communication initiatives of the Department of Tourism. It also seeks to promote authentic, culturally rooted and nature-based wellness experiences reflecting Goa’s heritage and regenerative tourism vision. The Policy further ensures that only accredited centres are represented under official branding and promotional platforms,” the policy mentioned, explaining the promotion and branding of Goa as the wellness hub.
The framework further provides for capacity building, training, monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, along with institutional coordination with national bodies such as the Ministry of AYUSH, to ensure adoption of recognised standards and best practices.
