Wellness tourism is the trend that is here to stay. With the wellness industry worth billions of dollars every year, Bali is certainly making the most of how this important space perfectly aligns with the island’s natural talent for tourism.
Indonesia’s Minister for Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, has been vocal about her commitment to grow the tourism sector nationwide. With Bali being the flagship tourism destination in Indonesia, naturally, all new initiatives use the province as a launchpad. Speaking in October 2025, Minister Wardhana and the Indonesian Ministry of
Tourism revealed that three specific areas of focus will be promoted in the coming electoral term. These are gastronomy, wellness, and maritime tourism. Bali is in a prime position to promote all of these spaces.
Gastronomy has always been one of Bali’s strong suits. With local cuisine promoted to tourists at every opportunity, as well as a thriving restaurant sector bringing in international gastronomical inspiration, the food scene in Bali is not to be overlooked.
All-out effort has also been placed in developing maritime tourism in Bali. Over the last few years, millions of dollars have been poured into Benoa Harbour alone to transform it into the Bali Maritime Tourism Hub. The harbor can now welcome up to three jumbo cruise liners, with plans to extend the port space to be able to facilitate four cruise vessels, along with a 180-berth luxury yacht marina.
Bali’s wellness space is already one of the best in the world, and it is set to be elevated even further over the coming few years. Minister Wardhana and her team are on a mission to support travellers not only to enjoy leisure activities but to travel to intentionally participate in experiences that relieve stress, promote health, and even become more spiritually connected.
Talking in late 2025, Minister Wardhana told reporters, “The world is facing higher stress levels. Tourists now look for destinations offering wellness products so they can return home healthier and more relaxed.”
She confirmed that the Ministry of Tourism has defined wellness tourism into seven main elements, which can be promoted individually, in combinations, or all together. These are eco-nature tourism, herbal medicine, healthy cuisine, lifestyle and fitness, arts, spiritual healing, spa, and ethno-spa.
Minister Wardhana explains further, “Visitors can learn traditional dance, make herbal drinks, and enjoy healthy local dishes. She added, “We also aim to attract quality tourists who stay longer and spend more.”
What is clear from the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is that their view of wellness is truly holistic.
For many, the idea of wellness tourism can feel limited to spa treatments, yoga, and meditation. Yet what Indonesia and specifically Bali can offer tourists is a rounded wellness experience that offers both rest and relaxation as well as a healthy amount of fun, play, and learning.
Wellness is so much more than chilling out. Though so many people need that reset and relaxation, wellness is also about filling one’s cup with experiences that inspire and stimulate, that are novel and memorable.
Wellness activities in Bali, of course, include visits to the island’s top spas to indulge in the incredible services on offer. Yet, wellness can also include deeply cultural experiences such as a water blessing ceremony, known as a Melukat ritual, at Tirta Empul Temple.
Wellness tourism in Bali also includes cooking classes, especially since so many of Bali’s staple cooking ingredients are also naturally medicinal. To top it off, many cooking classes start with a trip to a local market to create those heartwarming connections with local people, or even foraging for ingredients, connecting intimately with the natural world.
Wellness travel in Bali is here to stay, and with so many different directions to go in, tourists should follow this trend with eager anticipation!
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