Foreign tourist spends $77.35 per day on average in Bali

Foreign tourist spends $77.35 per day on average in Bali

DENPASAR, Bali (Antara): The result of a survey conducted by
local tourism authorities shows a foreign tourist visiting Bali
spent an average of US$77.35 per day with a stay averaging 11
days last year.

The result of the survey conducted on 3,884 tourists also
shows the total spending of foreign tourists to the world-
renowned tourist island last year reached $3.3 million.
Spokesman for the tourism service I Wayan Loter has said Japanese
tourists were listed as those spending the highest amount
($589,400), followed by British tourists ($322,200), and
Australians ($238,300).

The tourists from African countries spent $77,600 and from the
Middle East spent around $60,100.

Meanwhile, Balinese authorities last year approved foreign
investment plans worth $ 141.5 million, compared to $426 million
a year earlier, a report has said.

The local office of the central bank, Bank Indonesia (BI) in
its report issued on Saturday, said most foreign investors in
Bali last year were engaged in tourism consulting services and
the operation of water recreation facilities, with an investment
value of $119.5 million.

The hotel industry came in second with a total investment of
$13.9 million, followed by the trade sector $3.6 million, and the
small-scale and handicraft industry $3.2 million.

Foreign investments in the hotel sector plunged to $112
million in 1999 and further to $13.9 million in 2000 compared to
$255.5 million in 1998.

The report cited scarcity of appropriate land for the
construction of hotels as the reason for the drop.

Bali Governor Dewa Beratha said recently the province would
need Rp 2.4 trillion in investments to achieve a 3.8 percent
economic growth.

He said nearly Rp 1.5 trillion or 61.6 percent of the
investments would come from public savings and the remaining Rp
956 billion or 38.4 percent from the government.

In addition to foreign investment, trading is also lucrative.

During the current visit of Bangladeshi Ambassador to
Indonesia Dr. M. Atsarul Qader to Bali, he expressed hope that
Indonesia and Bangladesh could enhance good cooperation in the
economic and trade sector.

Indonesia earns an average $200 million every year from
exporting various commodities to Bangladesh, the Bangladeshi
envoy said when meeting Bali's Vice Governor I Ketut Wijana here
last Tuesday.

Indonesia's export earning from Bangladesh is higher than its
earnings from the United States, the European Union and Brazil.

He noted that Bangladesh should learn from Indonesia,
especially Bali, on how to develop its potentials.

Bangladesh, he said, produces good quality silk which could be
used by small businessmen and cottage industries in Bali to make
various products.

If Bangladeshi silk could enter Indonesia, especially Bali,
the commodity could be used as raw material which could be turned
into high-quality commodities for export, said Qader, who is here
on a four-day visit till today (Thursday).

He pointed out that Bangladesh and Bali have many
similarities, particularly in arts and culture.

Meanwhile, Wijana welcomed the Bangladeshi ambassador's idea
to increase their bilateral cooperation in different sectors,
especially in the fields of economy, tourism and culture.

He said Bangladeshi silk could be marketed in Bali as the
commodity is needed by the province's handicraftsmen and hotel
industries.