Indonesia has officially inaugurated its first medical tourism-focused Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Sanur, Bali, positioning the country as a growing player in the regional health tourism industry. The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to reduce outbound medical travel and boost domestic healthcare services.
The Sanur SEZ spans over 41 hectares and features a combination of healthcare, hospitality, and lifestyle infrastructure. At the center of the zone is the Bali International Hospital, designed to offer world-class medical services in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. The area also includes wellness centers, specialist clinics, research facilities, luxury hotels, botanical gardens featuring medicinal plants, and business tourism amenities such as retail outlets and conference halls.
This strategic development comes in response to the significant number of Indonesians who seek medical treatment abroad each year. Estimates suggest that around two million citizens travel overseas for healthcare annually, resulting in an economic loss of approximately 150 trillion rupiah, or about 9 to 10 billion US dollars. By providing internationally accredited treatment options at home, the government hopes to recapture that lost expenditure and strengthen the local health system.
President Prabowo Subianto, along with Minister of State-Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir, has emphasized the importance of this zone as a milestone in the country’s healthcare transformation. Recent legal reforms have allowed foreign doctors to practice in Indonesia, a move intended to increase trust in the local system and ensure patients receive care on par with international standards.
The government projects that the SEZ will attract over 240,000 patients annually by 2030, contribute around 86 trillion rupiah in foreign exchange savings, and generate 10 trillion rupiah in new investments. The project is also expected to create approximately 43,000 jobs, supporting both the health and tourism sectors.
Medical services offered within the zone are expected to include advanced specialties such as cardiology, oncology, neurology, fertility treatment, cell therapy, and cosmetic surgery. The development positions Indonesia to compete directly with established medical tourism hubs like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
While the launch has been widely praised, public health experts note that the success of the SEZ must be accompanied by comprehensive improvements across Indonesia’s wider healthcare infrastructure. Without such systemic upgrades, the zone may risk becoming a standalone showcase rather than a catalyst for national progress.
The Sanur SEZ marks a bold step forward in Indonesia’s ambition to become a leading destination for integrated healthcare and wellness tourism, blending medical excellence with the island’s global appeal.