More foreigners visit Bali

JAKARTA (JP): Foreign tourist arrivals in Bali rose 20.4 percent to 428,660 visitors in the first four months of this year, compared to 356,136 in the same period last year, according to the island's tourism office.

The head of Bali's tourism office, I Nyoman Sugiri, said on Wednesday 228,654 visitors or 53.3 percent of foreign tourists came from Asia-Pacific countries during the period of January to April -- a 13 percent increase from the same period last year.

Japanese tourists visiting the resort island rose 33.8 percent to 89,609 visitors during the period, which is up from 66,989 visitors from the same period last year.

Americans visitors reached 39,703 during the period, an increase of 69.9 percent, while foreign tourist arrivals from European countries increased 33.1 percent to 147,989 visitors.

Tourist arrivals from Southeast Asia, however, dropped 49.1 percent to 8,344 visitors, down from 16,384 visitors over the same period last year.

Australians visiting the island also declined 3.7 percent to 84,826 visitors from 88,076 visitors in the period of January to April in 1998. (gis)