Visa rolls out Visit Bali Program

JAKARTA: Joining the campaign to boost tourism in Bali, which has suffered a great deal from terrorism scares, Visa International launched on Tuesday its Visit Bali Program 2005, granting cardholders special privileges and discounts at participating merchants.

Visa International country manager Ellyana C. Fuad said that participating merchants, which included shopping destinations, restaurants, spas and activity centers, would offer discounts of up to 50 percent for every purchase made with Visa.

"We know people in Indonesia, especially those residing in Jakarta, are keen to visit Bali, and we are giving them every incentive to do so through our program," Ellyana said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

Data from the Indonesian Culture and Tourism Board said that although tourist spending in Indonesia in 2004 increased by 23 percent, the first two months of the year saw a 3 percent decline in international visitor arrivals compared with the same period last year. -- JP