Tourism Ministry Aims to Develop Wellness Tourism Ecosystem

The Ministry of Tourism is working to develop a wellness tourism business ecosystem to strengthen national tourism competitiveness. Ministry spokesperson Nia Niscaya stated that the ministry is striving to create a wellness tourism business ecosystem that can grow and develop sustainably. “The Ministry of Tourism is currently paying great attention to developing the wellness tourism business ecosystem as one of the strategies to strengthen tourism competitiveness,” Nia said in Jakarta on Sunday. Efforts to develop the wellness tourism ecosystem include improving destinations, service standards, product innovation, investment, promotion, and human resource capacity. The ministry believes wellness tourism can become a key driver of quality tourism businesses. Users of wellness tourism services not only visit tourist destinations but also seek memorable experiences during their travels. They tend to stay longer at destinations, thus having the opportunity to spend more money. “Wellness tourism plays an important role in the tourism sector, as it is a main element in supporting sports tourism, alongside events, adventure tourism, and experience or integrated area tourism,” Nia said. Meanwhile, a report from the Global Wellness Institute (GWI) states that the global wellness tourism industry in 2024 has the potential to generate an economic impact of 6.8 trillion US dollars, with projections indicating an increase to 9.75 trillion US dollars by 2029. The 2024 GWI report also named Indonesia as the largest wellness economy in Southeast Asia, with an economic value reaching 55.77 billion US dollars. Nia conveyed that the Ministry of Tourism is primarily targeting millennial and Gen Z travellers in promoting tourism services. The term Gen Y or Millennials refers to the generation born between 1981 and 1996, while Gen Z refers to those born between 1997 and 2012. According to an American Express Travel survey published in the Indonesia Tourism Outlook 2025 and 2026, millennial and Gen Z travellers are projected to be increasingly active in both domestic and international travel.