Tourist arrivals estimated to be slightly above target

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia estimates 4.8 million tourist arrivals for the whole year, a 4 percent increase from the initial estimate of 4.6 million, I Gede Ardika, director general of tourism, said on Wednesday.

"The first 10 months recorded 3.25 million tourist arrivals, but we expect the Christmas and New Year holidays to generate 1.6 million so that we'll still reach this year's target," he added.

Ardika said the social and political conditions in the country remained a concern for many countries and several governments were still warning their citizens against traveling to Indonesia, except to Bali and Batam.

However, tourism on both islands were hit by unrest this year, he said.

The first half of the year posted an 11 percent increase in tourist arrivals, but the number of visitors had declined since August, especially arrivals in Bali and Batam as an impact of the riots.

Therefore, tourist arrivals for the first 10 months showed only a 5 percent increase to 3.25 million tourists, he added.

He said that after the outbreak of communal clashes in Batam, tourist arrivals on that island, one of Indonesia's main tourist destinations, dropped 22 percent.

Ardika predicted tourist arrivals next year at between 5.2 million and 5.6 million.

He expressed confidence that the political stability would restore Indonesia's good reputation as a major tourist destination. (06)