Australian tourist arrivals increased 41% in 1997

JAKARTA (JP): The number of Australians visiting Indonesia increased 41.7 percent last year to 539,156 from 380,475 in 1996, according to the 1997 Statistical Report on Visitors to Indonesia.

The report, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Central Board of Statistics, said that the number of Australians who went to Bali grew 32.7 percent while those going to other destinations surged 353 percent.

Another market which showed healthy growth, according to the report, was Malaysia, with a 22.7 percent increase to 481,713 visitors in 1997 from 392,562 in 1996.

Similarly, the number of tourists from the Netherlands increased 18.2 percent to 144,622; from Germany 11 percent to 185,976; from France 22.1 percent to 107,843 and from Japan 6.2 percent to 706,942.

However, the number of visitors from Taiwan fell 33.3 percent to 404,929 last year from 607,015 in 1996.

The number of visitors from the United States also dropped, by 13.3 percent to 171,707.

Singapore topped the list of the top 10 markets for Indonesia, followed by Japan and Australia, which rose from fifth place in 1996.

Malaysia was fourth; Taiwan fifth, down from third in 1996; Korea sixth; Germany seventh, up from eighth the previous year; the U.S. eighth, down from seventh in 1996; the Netherlands ninth, up from 10th; and the U.K. 10th, down from ninth in 1996.

According to the report, more visitors were spreading their wings beyond Bali and Java.

Total arrivals into Indonesia last year were 5.18 million, an increase of 3 percent over he previous year, with earnings totaling US$5.43 billion.

Jakarta received the largest share with 28.1 percent, followed by Bali with 24.9 percent, Medan, 3.4 percent and Batam 21.6 percent. Other entry points received a total of 22 percent of arrivals.

The share of total visitors to "other destinations" in Indonesia rose sharply from 5.5 percent in 1989 to a significant 22 percent in 1997.

Other destinations include those with direct access from overseas such as Bintan, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Lombok, Ujungpandang, Balikpapan, Padang, Pekanbaru, Surabaya and Manado.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia through the country's 11 main entry points showed a 19.1 percent decline in the period from January to May this year.

The 11 main entry points are, Jakarta, Bali, Medan, Batam, Surabaya, Manado, Solo, Lombok, Padang, Ujungpandang, and Entikong in West Kalimantan.

The drop was mainly due to the May 13 to May 15 unrest in many parts of the country.

In May alone, according to the report, visitor arrivals fell 31 percent. (hen)