Indonesia to boost inbound medical travel

The Indonesia Medical Tourism Board (IMTB) is seeking to boost inbound medical tourism as the country prepares to open. Ian Youngman looks at the government initiatives already underway to make this a reality.

IMTB claims that research shows that a big percentage of the affluent market in Indonesia prefers to use private medical services, with Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, and Europe among the popular medical destinations for Indonesians.

Set up to give people access to reputable medical services and facilities in Indonesia, the IMTB believes that the country can now compete with these destinations and encourage inbound medical travel and reduce outbound travel for treatments.

Foreign direct investment from Singapore, Australia, and China has helped develop local care in Indonesia. The Indonesian government has also said it plans to develop  medical tourism in selected cities. Surabaya, a port city on the island of Java, was selected as a pilot for medical travellers, in association with the Indonesian Hospital Association (PERSI), as well as Jakarta and Medan.

The IMTB believes there is also potential in Bali to become the preferred destination of medical tourists who travel to Singapore or Malaysia for their treatment.  The government is already planning to develop a Special Economic Zone on the island focused on health, particularly to attract senior citizens.

The Batam Development Authority (BP Batam) is also planning to establish an international health Special Economic Zone in Sekupang, where BP Batam’s Hospital is located. This new zone would offer opportunities to develop medical tourism businesses such as opening an international hospital offering cardiac, geriatric, cancer, beauty and stem cell medical services, and wellness tourism.

The government believes it can encourage the medical industry in Indonesia to provide better medical services, through developing medical tourism.

Health and tourism industries are working with local hospitals in the country to better co-ordinate medical travel services.  Initiatives include an agreement on institutional coordination, policy adjustment, quality improvement, and innovative promotion. The Tourism Ministry has also said it will prepare means for regulating medical tourism businesses and promoting the industry.

Indonesia is considering reopening to international tourists from certain countries in October including Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and South Korea.