Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana said travelers today are seeking not just leisure but wellness destinations to relieve stress and restore health amid increasingly demanding lives.
“The world is facing higher stress levels. Tourists now look for destinations offering wellness products so they can return home healthier and more relaxed,” Widiyanti said.
The Tourism Ministry has defined seven main wellness categories, including eco-nature tourism, herbal medicine, healthy cuisine, lifestyle and fitness, arts, spiritual healing, and spa and ethno spa.
Speaking at the Wonderful Indonesia Wellness (WIW) festival opening in Solo, Central Java, on Saturday night, she said Solo was ideal for wellness tourism due to its cultural richness, which can be integrated with health and well-being concepts.
“Visitors can learn traditional dance, make herbal drinks, and enjoy healthy local dishes,” she said.
Widiyanti praised the Surakarta city government for preparing various cultural and wellness activities, such as learning Javanese music, dancing, and cooking healthy food.
“We also aim to attract quality tourists who stay longer and spend more,” she added.
Indonesia ranked first in Southeast Asia for the wellness economy in 2023, valued at US$56.4 billion, and is the third-fastest-growing wellness market in the Asia-Pacific region, the minister said.
Surakarta Mayor Respati Ardi thanked the central government for naming Solo a host of WIW 2025, which runs throughout November in Solo and Yogyakarta.
“With our royal cultural heritage, Solo is ready to blend tradition with wellness tourism,” he said.
The festival features five key programs, including Javanese Wisdom Immersion, Gendhing for Therapy, Royal Dance Symphony, A Holy Journey, and Javanese Secret Recipe.
Tourism Ministry official Vincencius Jemadu said WIW is a flagship event targeting 5,000 travel packages sold and US$520,000 in MSME transactions.
The ministry also launched the book Wellness Journey Across the Java Wonder as a guide for tour operators and travel agents.
The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism aims to attract 14 to 16 million international visitors in 2025
