Indonesian regions develop wellness and health tourism

Several regions in Indonesia are expanding their economic and healthcare sectors by integrating medical services with tourism. In Yogyakarta, hospitals are shifting toward wellness tourism, which focuses on disease prevention and holistic well-being rather than just treating illness. This approach includes activities such as forest therapy, meditation, healthy diets, and cultural immersion. Examples include the Wanagama Forest Healing program by Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Hospital and forest therapy initiatives by Panti Rapih Hospital.

Similarly, the Kudus Regency government is pursuing health tourism to capitalize on the high volume of patients traveling from outside the region. The initiative aims to connect medical needs with local tourist destinations, creating economic opportunities for small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and generating employment for workers outside the medical field.