Indonesia officially inaugurated its first medical tourism special economic zone (SEZ) in Sanur, Bali, last month, marking a significant milestone in the country’s push to develop world-class healthcare services integrated with tourism. The project, launched by the President, is designated as a national strategic initiative and is led by InJourney, Indonesia’s state-owned tourism holding company, which now operates under the newly formed sovereign wealth fund, Danantara.
The Sanur medical tourism zone represents Indonesia’s first integrated destination, combining international-standard healthcare services with high-end tourism amenities. The development will feature an international hospital, specialist clinics, medical research centers, hotels, and a convention center.
The initiative seeks to establish Bali as a leading destination for medical tourism, targeting both domestic and international patients. To support this goal, InJourney has collaborated with prominent medical institutions from Germany, Japan, and the United States, as well as Udayana University, to facilitate technology transfer and enhance the skills of Indonesia’s medical professionals. The President praised the Sanur Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as a pioneering development, highlighting it as the country’s first SEZ explicitly dedicated to healthcare services.
Spanning 41.26 hectares, the Sanur Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is projected to attract approximately IDR 10.2 trillion (USD 626 million) in investment and generate over 43,000 direct and indirect jobs. The initiative also aims to reduce the number of Indonesians seeking medical treatment abroad—potentially saving up to IDR 86 trillion (approximately USD 5.3 billion) in foreign exchange losses—while drawing an estimated 123,000 to 240,000 patients annually. By 2045, the SEZ is expected to contribute up to IDR 19.6 trillion (USD 1.2 billion) in foreign exchange earnings.
As Danantara’s flagship project, the Sanur Special Economic Zone highlights Indonesia’s commitment to enhancing the global competitiveness of its tourism and healthcare sectors.
(Source: Jakarta Globe)
