More American tourists to Bali

DENPASAR, Bali: A total of 18,355 tourists from North and South America visited Bali in the first two months of the year, a 64.2 percent rise from 11,176 American tourists in the same period of 1998.

Antara quoted the Bali Tourism Office report on Saturday that Americans topped the list of foreign arrivals, followed by Canadians, Argentineans, Brazilians and Mexicans.

American tourists totaled 12,514, up by 54.2 percent from 8,116 in the first two months last year. Canadians soared to 4,025, more than double last year's 1,318.

The office reported that 978 Argentineans visited the resort island in the first two months of the year, a 117.8 percent increase from 449 in the same period last year. Brazilians totaled 450, a minor increase from last year's figure of 443.

Fewer Mexicans, however, traveled to Bali, with only 147 between January and February, compared to 405 in the same period last year.