Obesity management can be done in various ways, including dietary regulation, drug use, and a surgery called bariatric surgery. Of these three ways, surgery is considered the most effective way to overcome obesity in the long term. Bali being able to implement this surgery can in addition to being a tourist destination can also be one of the medical tourism spots to undergo bariatric surgery. Bali has performed bariatric surgery on nine patients so far, consisting of one Indonesian citizen and eight foreign tourists. Of the foreign patients, six were Australian citizens and two French citizens. The patients recovered within two weeks of surgery. They began to feel limited appetite and started exercising; the average patient’s weight was reduced by 6 kg within six weeks after surgery. This action has been widely developed including in Indonesia, especially Bali. Rates offered by Bali are also cheaper when compared with Australia and Europe. The success rate of this action was even higher at 28%, compared with lifestyle changes and pharmacology. This is an opportunity for Indonesia and Bali to attract foreign tourists to conduct medical tourism. To overcome the challenges of competitors from neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, a broader promotion is needed at the international level and always maintain a good image in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery in Bali. Bariatric surgery is the most effective curative action for obese people. Bali as a tourist destination also has great opportunities as a destination of medical tourism.
Keywords: bariatric, medical tourism, obesity