RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Health have officially strengthened a cross-sector strategy to develop health tourism in Indonesia. The collaborative move is aimed at tapping the country’s large domestic market potential while also reducing the number of Indonesians seeking treatment abroad, by providing professionally integrated medical and wellness services.

“Now is the time to strengthen collaboration between the tourism industry and the health industry so that they can create a mutually supportive ecosystem,” said Acting Deputy for Industry and Investment at the Ministry of Tourism, Rizki Handayani, in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday, July 24, 2026.

The strategy was discussed during a meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Attendees included the Ministry of Health, local health and tourism agencies, the Indonesian Hospital Association (PERSI), the Indonesian Private Hospital Association (ARSSI), and various hospital representatives.

According to Rizki, public demand for health services continues to evolve. Health services are no longer focused solely on curative care, but also cover promotive, preventive, and wellness services.

As public interest in wellness tourism grows, especially in the domestic market, Indonesia has a major opportunity to develop health tourism as one of its flagship tourism products.

As an initial step, the Ministry of Tourism, together with the Ministry of Health, PERSI, and ARSSI, has mapped out hospitals that have the potential to be developed as health tourism destinations.

A total of 18 hospitals, consisting of 15 hospitals in the Greater Jakarta area and three hospitals in Bali, have been designated as pilot projects. Some of the hospitals included in the pilot program are Pondok Indah Hospital, Hermina Kemayoran, Bali International Medical Centre (BIMC) Nusa Dua, Mayapada Lebak Bulus, Siloam Semanggi, Pondok Indah Bintaro Hospital, and Siloam Karawaci.

The 18 hospitals will be included in a health tourism catalog currently being prepared by the Ministry of Tourism. The catalog, which is expected to be completed in October 2026, will serve as one of the main promotional media for Indonesia’s medical tourism services.

Each hospital will undergo a comprehensive mapping process, starting from the preparation of its flagship service profile to estimating health tourism package prices. The Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Health will then conduct field surveys to develop center of excellence parameters that highlight each hospital’s strengths.

The development of health tourism is not only focused on healthcare facilities, but also on building an ecosystem integrated with various tourism industry players.

Collaboration will involve the hotel sector, travel agencies, and tour operators to build an integrated ecosystem. The partnership will also include patient-friendly transport providers, including wheelchair-accessible facilities, as well as domestic and international insurance companies.

“This stage is part of efforts to build an integrated health tourism ecosystem. It is realized through collaboration between healthcare facilities, tourism businesses, and various related stakeholders,” said Rizki, as quoted by Antara.

Director of Referral Health Service Development at the Ministry of Health, Yanti Herman, said the pilot hospitals will be asked to conduct self-assessments. The evaluation is intended to measure their readiness to develop medical tourism while also strengthening their commitment to service quality based on patient experience.

Hospitals that meet the criteria and are committed to developing health tourism will receive various forms of support. These include facility promotion, training toward international standards, and various fiscal and non-fiscal incentives. ***