Upaya Malaysia dalam Meningkatkan Wisatawan Medical Tourism Indonesia pada Masa Pascapandemi COVID-19 (2021-2025)

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the global medical tourism sector, including Malaysia, which has long relied on Indonesia as its primary source market for medical tourists. This study aims to examine Malaysia's efforts to increase medical tourism visits from Indonesia in the post-Covid-19 period, particularly from 2021 to 2025, coinciding with the implementation of the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025. This research employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method, drawing on secondary data from books, scholarly journals, official reports, and publications from relevant institutions and media sources. The analysis applies Nicholas J. Cull's public diplomacy framework, which comprises four elements: listening, advocacy, exchange diplomacy, and international broadcasting, together with the concept of medical tourism to explain the push and pull factors influencing Indonesian medical tourists' decisions. The findings reveal that Malaysia, through the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC), has systematically and consistently implemented these four elements of public diplomacy by understanding patients' needs through patient journey research, conducting active promotional initiatives through the Malaysia Healthcare Expo, establishing cross-border institutional collaborations, and utilizing social media and digital platforms specifically targeting Indonesian audiences. These strategies are further supported by Malaysia's advantages in affordability, healthcare service quality, and patient experience, thereby strengthening its position as a trusted, accessible, and culturally proximate medical tourism destination for Indonesians in the post-pandemic era.