Indonesia strengthens wellness tourism with new national programme

Indonesia is advancing the development of wellness tourism as part of its strategy to promote high-quality and internationally competitive travel experiences. Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana announced that the sector has been identified as one of the country's tourism priorities, as reported by ANTARA.

As part of this strategy, the government will launch the Wonderful Indonesia Wellness programme throughout November 2026. The initiative will bring together the Royal Surakarta Wellness Festival and the Jogja Cultural Wellness Festival, showcasing Indonesia's cultural heritage and traditional wellness practices.

The Royal Surakarta Wellness Festival will feature activities including Javanese Wisdom Immersion, Gending for Therapy, Royal Dance Symphony, A Holy Journey and Javanese Secret Recipe. Meanwhile, the Jogja Cultural Wellness Festival will offer programmes centred on healthy food and herbal traditions, eco-friendly living, natural beauty, family well-being and holistic health.

Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said travellers are increasingly seeking meaningful experiences alongside traditional sightseeing. She noted that, as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into everyday life, demand is growing for authentic cultural experiences, personal wellbeing and closer connections with local traditions.

According to the Global Wellness Institute, the global wellness economy reached US$6.8 trillion in 2024 and is expected to grow to US$9.75 trillion by 2029. A survey in 2025 also found that 86 per cent of Indonesians actively maintain their health, creating favourable conditions for the country's development as a regional wellness tourism destination.