Indonesian government officials have announced plans to build the nation’s first Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bali, which will be focused primarily on health tourism. Nearly a quarter of a million patients are expected to travel to the SEZ, which will be located in Bali’s popular Sanur coastal region, by 2030.
Plans for the SEZ were first unveiled during the SOE International Conference: Driving Sustainable & Inclusive Growth, held last month as a part of the Trade, Investment, and Industry Working Group (TIIWG) Road to G20. The Sanur Health and Tourism SEZ has since been confirmed as a priority programme by Indonesia’s Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE).
“It has quite a large potential,” explained Minister of SOE Erick Thohir, who believes the Sanur SEZ will be a game-changer for the tourism sector. “It can become a priority to revive tourism activities in Bali,” he added. The SEZ is being built on 41.26 hectares of land owned by PT Hotel Natour Indonesia in an investment project worth US$664 million. The initiative represents a partnership between PT Aviasi Pariwisata Indonesia (Injourney), through its subsidiary PT Hotel Indonesia Natour, and Indonesia Healthcare Corporation (IHC).
Once completed, the SEZ will provide international-standard healthcare for locals and international travellers alike, thereby raising Bali’s standing as a destination for world-class healthcare. Around 123,000-240,000 patients are expected to use its services by 2030. Moreover, it is estimated the project will provide jobs for around 43,000 workers, while generating foreign exchange earnings of up to US$1.28 billion.
While providing new and improved health services, the Sanur SEZ development project is also working to raise standards across the board for tourism infrastructure in the area. This includes upgrades to local hotel class ratings, from 4 to 5 stars. This revitalization work is currently focusing on the Grand Inna Bali Beach Tower Hotel and Grand Inna Bali Beach Garden. A new Convention Centre, with capacity for 5,000 people, is also under construction.
“This revitalization process will further increase the added value of Sanur SEZ that carries the concept of integrated end-to-end service,” explains Dony Oskaria, who is the President Director of Injourney. “Thus, it can further attract the interest of people seeking world-class medical services while traveling to Bali,” he added.
Will all these operations already underway, Bali is ready to break new ground in the international health tourism sector. In the years to come, the island is set to become a world-renowned destination, not just for tourism, but integrated medical care too.
