Bali is vying to become the top medical tourism destination for Australians, as the Indonesian government invests in the country’s cosmetics industry.
During the Covid pandemic, the tourist paradise saw the economic impact of its excessive reliance on tourism, as travel limitations hampered its typically regular flow of international visitors.
Now, the island, like many other countries, has taken those hard-learned lessons to heart and is looking to grow its commercial interests by becoming the go-to destination for plastic surgery.
The Balinese government has invested in a new cosmetic, wellness, and anti-aging center at Sanglah Hospital, which is due to open in a few months.
Dr. Ekkers, a dermatologist, stated that the project will allow Australians to get cosmetic surgery at a lower cost than they would at home.
‘Lips, eyes, and breasts.’ All of the cosmetic surgery. ‘You can have whatever you want,’ she told A Current Affair.
‘We want our patients to age gracefully.’ ‘Healthy on the inside and out.’
The six-story structure will offer specialized care for a variety of services, including breast jobs, botox, and butt lifts.
While the tourist destination already has a cosmetics sector, officials expect that the investment will make the country a first-choice destination, offering better treatments and procedures than Thailand or Singapore.
However, Australians on vacation in Bali were divided on whether they would accept the offer to have surgery.
‘I come from a medical background, and until they are willing to staff their hospitals with our skilled people, no,’ said one woman.
‘They believe that water cleans everything here.’
Another woman stated that it ‘would be fantastic’ if they could bring more cosmetic services on the island, while a third stated that it has ‘had to be excellent’ if they are raising their standard.
‘I think that would be a terrific idea for the people here,’ one man added.
Since March, when the island reopened for the first time in nearly two years, Australians have been coming back.
Tourism provides for more than half of the Balinese economy, with government numbers stating that Covid-19 laid off 700,000 residents.
Tourism employs more than 70% of Balinese inhabitants, with the 6.3 million tourists that visited in 2019 contributing 7.8 billion USD ($11,253,785,400 AUD) to the economy.