"This launching (of Malang Health Tourism) constitutes the government's efforts to suppress the high number of tourists obtaining health facilities abroad," Uno noted in an official statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.
According to data from the Health Ministry in 2021, Indonesia is the biggest contributor in terms of medical visits abroad, having a total value of Rp161 trillion, with Malaysia and Singapore being the most visited countries by Indonesian tourists.
"Hopefully, Malang Health Tourism will mark the beginning and initiation of revival of the tourism and health industry in Greater Malang and Indonesia," the minister pointed out.
Health tourism has been stipulated as one of the national strategic priority programs of the Indonesian Government.
The inauguration of Malang Health Tourism makes the region as the fourth health tourism zone in Indonesia, succeeding North Sumatra, with its Medan Medical Tourism Board; Bali, with its Bali Medical Tourism Association; and North Sulawesi, with its North Sulawesi Health Tourism.
Uno is optimistic that Malang Health Tourism would take local tourists as its initial priority, adding that it may proceed to target international tourists after the initial priority deemed goes well as planned, akin to Bali that has established its Health Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
"We see that it took 15-20 years for Malaysia and Thailand (to achieve the target). However, they are targeting Indonesian tourists as the market. I am confident that if we move fast, then in five years, we will be able to be at par with the health services they provide. In that spirit, we need to collaborate and work together," he remarked.
Committee Head of the Malang Health Tourism Forum Discussion Group Ardantya Syahreza, for his part, expressed hope that formation of the Malang Health Tourism organizing committee will encourage doctors to actively provide suggestions for hospitals regarding services required in Malang.
Related news: West Sumatera keen to become a health tourism destination
Related news: Minister optimistic of regions emulating Sanur SEZ hospital
Translator: Sinta Ambarwati, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
