Tourist arrivals' growth slows down

JAKARTA (JP): The number of tourist arrivals in Indonesia reached 342,604 in September, representing a mere 11-percent year-on-year increase, the slowest pace recorded in seven months.

Data from the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications showed that the number of tourist arrivals in the first nine months of 1996 rose by 18.6 percent, compared with the same period last year, to 3,089,997.

The number of tourist arrivals in 1995 grew by 7 percent to 4.7 million, earning Indonesia US$52 billion in foreign exchange revenue. The country expects to earn between $6.57 billion and $6.94 billion from an anticipated 4.78 million to 5.05 million foreign tourists in 1996.

The slowdown in the number of tourist arrivals in Indonesia began in July this year, with a growth rate of just 19.5 percent, which fell further to 13.4 percent in August. The growth rate in June was recorded at 25.8 percent, only slightly lower than the 27.7 growth rate of May.

Minister of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications Joop Ave said yesterday that a study is underway to analyze the slowdown in the growth rate of tourist arrivals.

"September is usually a low month for tourist arrivals, but we also have to study whether such a slowdown happens regionally."

Singapore has reported that its tourist arrivals fell 4.8 percent in that month. Visitors from Japan, Singapore's major market, were down as well as arrivals from Indonesia, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea.

Joop said yesterday that Indonesia earned $3.14 billion in the first nine months of this year, a 20.1 percent increase over the same period in 1995.

The ministry's data showed that the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia reached 290,009 (giving Indonesia a revenue of $354.94 million) in January, 305,166 ($373.5 million) in February, 352,254 ($431.13 million) in March, 344,051 ($421.09 million) in April, 335,735 ($410.91 million) in May, 360,969 ($441.79 million) in June, 378,157 ($462.83 million) in July, 381,052 ($466.37 million) in August and 342,604 ($419.32 million) in September.

The data also revealed that tourist arrivals dropped dramatically at the Polonia airport in Medan, North Sumatra. Polonia is one of Indonesia's seven major international gateways.

The number of tourist arrivals through Polonia reached 18,527 in September this year, representing a 9.2 percent decrease from the same month in 1995. (icn)