Indonesia agrees to promote and develop medical tourism

The tourism ministry and the health ministry have agreed to develop medical tourism to Indonesia.

The tourism ministry and the health ministry have agreed to develop medical tourism to Indonesia.

Tourism secretary Ukus Kuswara: “The development of medical and health tourism is one of the flagships of special-interest tourism. The development of medical tourism in Indonesia has a big potential considering the location and Indonesia’s advantages for medical tourism. It’s also worth noting the number of Indonesians who travel abroad to get medical treatment.”

The partnership between the two ministries involves policy and programme coordination and harmonisation, medical tourism improvement, development, education for the locals who live around medical tourist destinations, information and data exchange.

The tourism ministry has the responsibility to define medical tourism, conduct awareness of traditional values, authenticity, uniqueness, and access, and form a partnership between private businesses in the tourism industry and local medical facilities. It is also tasked with forming a marketing strategy for medical tourism in Indonesia, and developing regulation of medical tourism.

The health ministry has to set up a medical tourism policy, plus looking to the private sector to build new hospitals and traditional health facilities.

The next action is to form a joined taskforce with hospital, spa and other health association representatives. Indonesia is famous for its spa treatments and destinations.

The latest estimate is that 600,000 Indonesians travel overseas for medical treatment with a total spending of around 1.4 billion dollars.