Tourism and Health Ministries Boost Medical Tourism to Curb $6 Billion Outflow
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy and the Ministry of Health strengthen medical tourism on Friday, Nov 21, 2025 in Jakarta to cut the annual loss of foreign exchange as two million Indonesians seek treatment abroad every year, a move expected to support economic expansion.
The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Health to advance medical and wellness tourism through coordinated policies and integrated programs.
The ministries stated that the cooperation framework covered policy development, human capital training, data sharing, investment promotion, and the creation of a joint task force for medical tourism.
In her remarks, Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said the agreement marked the government’s concrete effort to raise service quality. “This joint work is a concrete step by the government to improve the quality of health and tourism services,” she said.
She highlighted the persistent outbound flow of Indonesians seeking medical care abroad. “Every year about two million Indonesians go overseas for treatment and this causes a foreign exchange leakage of up to $6 billion,” Widiyanti said.
She added that Indonesia held strong potential in wellness tourism, supported by herbal traditions, body recovery practices, and natural attractions. “The growing wellness market must be used as momentum to accelerate the development of medical and wellness tourism,” she said.
Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy said it aimed to promote hospital-based medical tourism packages, expand promotion of medical facilities, and facilitate collaboration between hospitals, tourism operators, and travel providers.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin welcomed the initiative and called the integration of health and tourism a strategic step for the economy. He said the synergy could contribute meaningfully to achieving the national economic growth target of 8 percent.