RI predicts paltry growth in foreign tourist arrivals
RI predicts paltry growth in foreign tourist arrivals
JAKARTA (JP): Foreign tourist arrivals are expected to
increase 0.6 percent this year to 5.06 million visitors, the
lowest growth in a decade due to the haze problem and the
monetary crisis.
Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave said
yesterday the growth in foreign tourist arrivals would be far
below the target.
"The country's tourism is suffering. This is not a laughing
matter. This is very serious," he said at a yearend briefing.
Foreign tourist spending in 1997 was estimated to grow 5.04
percent to US$6.62 billion from $6.3 billion last year.
Just in November, the government cut the growth projection of
1997's foreign tourist arrivals to 2.67 percent. The growth in
the foreign tourist spending was also lowered to 6.49 percent.
Indonesia originally expected to see between 5.3 million and
5.7 million foreign tourist arrivals this year, or between 5
percent and 13 percent over last year's level.
Revenue generated from foreign tourists was initially
estimated to total between $6.64 billion and $7.14 billion in
1997, between 5 percent and 13 percent over last year.
Last year, 5.03 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia,
spending $6.3 billion. Last year's growth rate was 16.42 percent
and 20.64 percent in arrivals and expenditures, respectively,
over 1995's figures.
"We have never experienced anything like this," Joop said.
The currency turmoil, which has hit several Asian countries,
is believed to be the most influential factor behind the fall in
foreign tourist arrivals.
Many overseas tourists have also been turned off by the smog.
Thick haze which blanketed most parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan
for several months resulted in significantly reduced tourist
arrivals this year.
Indonesia saw a significant drop in foreign tourist arrivals
in 1995 when unfounded reports about cholera in Bali spread to
Japan and other countries. Foreign tourist arrivals grew only 7.9
percent that year while spending grew 9.3 percent.
The country expects tourism to become the country's biggest
foreign exchange earner by the end of the Seventh Five-Year
Development Plan in 2004.
In the past 10 years, growth in tourist arrivals has averaged
more than 20 percent per year, while growth in revenue generated
by foreign tourists has averaged more than 27 percent annually.
Joop said tourist arrivals through the country's seven major
entry points plunged 11.42 percent in November from a year ago to
315,357. However, the number of foreign visitors in the first 11
months of this year was still up 1.22 percent at 3,840,184 people
from a year ago. (icn/das)
Officials -- Page 10