Bali Targeting 3 Million Foreign Tourists in 2012

(1/9/2012)

The Jakarta Post reports that leading tourism-stakeholders in Bali are targeting 3 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2012.

Once the final count is done for 2011, total foreign arrivals will come in at something more than 2.7 million, meaning that despite an uncertain world economy Bali is seeking 10% growth in arrivals for the coming year.

Australians continue to be the main source of foreign visitors, constituting nearly 30% of all foreign arrivals. China has the next largest market share at 9% with Japan, once the main source of tourists from abroad, is down to 7%.

Ida Bagus Kade Subhisku, chief of the Bali Tourism Agency, said he felt it was likely that total arrivals for 2011 would top 2.73 million. Pointing to Bali’s success at hosting major conferences and visits by world leaders in 2011, Subhisku discounted the possibility that European economic woes would have a significant negative impact on Bali’s arrival in the year ahead.

Echoing Subhisku’s optimism was Djinaldi Gosana, executive director of the Bali Hotels Association (BHA) and Ida Bagus Gede Sidharta Putra of the Bali chapter of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association. Djinaldi said occupancy and four and five star hotels in Bali exceeded 60% in 2011. Putra said his association’s members remained confident that arrivals would continue to be strong.