Recently, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Jakarta Office held the “2023 Korea Medical Tourism Festival” (KMTF) in Surabaya, Indonesia. This event aimed to promote Korea as one of the best medical tourism destinations in the world and provide a new alternative for people seeking premium healthcare services with advanced technology.
Korea is well-known for its K-Pop culture and as a popular tourist destination. However, Cho Hee Jin, the Head of the Hallyu Content Department at the KTO, emphasized that Hallyu encompasses more than just K-pop and K-drama. Korea has a rich culture, architecture, history, beauty, and medical industry that can be explored and appreciated.
Indonesia is one of the largest markets for Korean Hallyu content and also a potential market for medical tourism due to the increasing awareness of the importance of health. Therefore, the KTO aims to combine these two elements to attract tourists to Korea. According to Cho Hee Jin, around 3,000 Indonesian people visit Korea, including a significant number from Surabaya, the second-largest city in Indonesia.
The theme of the “2023 Korea Medical Tourism Festival” was “Heal We Go Korea,” inviting people to see Korea as a place for healing and recovery. The festival lasted for three days and started with the Korea Medical Tourism Mart on October 27, 2023, targeting business professionals with B2B consultations. It continued with the Korea Medical Tourism Expo on October 28-29, which was open to the public.
The Korea Medical Tourism Mart featured 19 Korean institutions, including 12 medical institutions, six medical facilitator companies, and one tourism organization. This event provided an opportunity for approximately 120 invited guests to discuss potential collaborations, product development, explanations of Korean medical services, and more.
During the “Networking Luncheon” session, the KTO signed a business agreement with Hanwha Insurance to mutually promote medical tourism in Korea. The final part of the festival, the Korea Medical Tourism Expo, showcased exhibitions from the best institutions in Korea, such as hospitals, clinics, and medical facilitators. Visitors interested in obtaining information about medical services or how to receive treatment in Korea could find relevant information at the expo held at Grand Atrium Pakuwon Mall in Surabaya.
In addition to obtaining information, visitors could also participate in various activities such as the Instagram challenge, scan gift mystery, tea therapy kiosk, VR games, candle-making workshops, and interesting talk shows.
Overall, the “2023 Korea Medical Tourism Festival” in Surabaya aimed to promote Korea as a leading medical tourism destination and offer advanced healthcare services to both Indonesians and international tourists. With its combination of Hallyu culture and world-class medical facilities, Korea hopes to attract more visitors seeking both entertainment and premium healthcare experiences.