Indonesia is aiming to develop spa therapy as a top sector for placing its migrant workers in international hospitality roles. The Ministry for Migrant Workers Protection shared this new direction during a recent visit to several job training centers in Bali, emphasizing the global demand for skilled spa professionals.
Deputy Minister Christina Aryani highlighted the need to take spa therapy seriously, citing input from various Indonesian ambassadors. She noted that countries are increasingly seeking trained spa professionals, and Indonesia should be ready to meet this demand.
To prepare for this, Aryani visited leading spa training institutions such as Mandara Spa Training Centre, Nirvana Bali Spa, and Bali Saraswati Spa Academy. The purpose was to review their training programs, evaluate their curriculum, and measure the job placement success of their graduates.
“We want our graduates to be equipped for international employment, not just for work in local hotels,” Aryani stated. She stressed the importance of ensuring that Indonesian workers are globally competitive in the spa and hospitality industry.
Aryani also announced plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy to improve the global image of Indonesian spa therapy. She pointed out that Thailand currently dominates the international spa market and believes Indonesia has similar potential if the right strategies are adopted.
“Indonesia should also have a strong global presence in spa therapy. We need better branding and government support to make that happen,” she added.
The ministry is also encouraging training centers to add specific language training to their programs. These language skills would be tailored to the requirements of countries like Japan and English-speaking destinations.
“Foreign language skills are essential for Indonesian workers to thrive in the international labor market,” Aryani concluded.
This new focus on spa therapy as a key job placement sector is part of a broader effort to open up diverse employment opportunities abroad for Indonesian migrant workers, particularly in high-demand hospitality roles.