Sun, sand, and surgery: Is Bali a new medical paradise?: Travel Weekly Asia

Asia’s first and largest medical tourism Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will launch in June in Sanur, Bali. The initiative is part of state-owned enterprise InJourney’s strategy to develop Indonesia’s health-based tourism sector by positioning the Sanur SEZ as a leading destination for international medical tourists.

“We aim to make the Sanur SEZ a leading destination for medical tourists, while also attracting patients from abroad to seek treatment in Indonesia,” said InJourney president director, Maya Watono.

Spanning 41.6 hectares, the Sanur SEZ is designed as a world-class medical and wellness destination. It will be home to the Bali International Hospital (opening May 2025), as well as specialised facilities for cell therapy, aesthetic and plastic surgery, fertility treatments, eye care, organ transplants, and hair transplants.

In addition to medical facilities, the Sanur SEZ will feature a five-star hotel with 457 rooms, an Ethnomedicinal Botanical Garden, commercial areas, an MSME [Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises] centre, restaurants, and other amenities.

The SEZ is also positioning itself as a hub for business tourism, with a state-of-the-art convention centre designed for conferences, corporate retreats, and industry events, offering a blend of productivity and Bali’s coastal charm.

Once fully operational, the Sanur SEZ is expected to create approximately 43,000 jobs. By 2045, it is projected to contribute up to US$1.28 billion in total foreign exchange earnings, reinforcing its role in Indonesia’s economic growth.

Currently, between two to three million Indonesians travel abroad to regional destinations such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand for medical treatment each year, leading to a foreign exchange outflow of up to IDR 97 trillion (US$5.88 billion).

To enhance healthcare service standards, InJourney has partnered with renowned medical institutions from Germany, Japan, and the US to establish centres of excellence within the SEZ. The initiative is expected to reduce Indonesia’s medical tourism outflow by up to IDR 50 trillion US$3.03 billion) annually while also attracting foreign patients seeking high-quality medical services.

“The government has already granted practice permits for foreign doctors, but at the same time, we also want to ensure there is technology transfer and capacity building for local medical personnel,” Maya added. To support this, InJourney is collaborating with Udayana University in Bali to facilitate knowledge transfer from foreign doctors to local medical professionals.