Lowering Our Expectations

(1/4/2009)

Beritabali.com reports that the Bali Tourism Authority (BTA), faced with the growing world financial crisis, has reduced the target for foreign tourist visitors in 2009 from 2.1 million to 1.8 million.

As reported previously at balidiscovery.com, [See: Bali Tourism Promotion Budget Reduced for 2009], the Island's tourism authority was originally targeting 2.1 million foreign visitors to Bali in 2009, despite a 20% reduction in tourism marketing funds.

Explaining the change of heart, the Chief of the Bali Tourism Authority (BTA), Gede Nurjaya, said, "after evaluating (further) and taking into consideration the possible impact of the global financial crisis, we finally reduced the target from 2.1 million to 1.8 million."

Nurjaya told the press that the lower target was necessary due to the reduced buying power of a number of European and Asia-Pacific countries that is certain to affect the ability of many to travel.

Saying he was uncertain of the number of cancellations Bali had received, Nurjaya emphasized that new bookings continue to flow into the Island

Nurjaya said the total number of foreign tourists will be slightly more than 1.9 million. When these are added to domestic tourists the total number of visitors become more than 5 million.

Remarking on 2008, Nurjaya told the press that business was good with no "low season" through the course of the year.