Tourist arrivals estimated to be slightly above target

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)