West Nusa Tenggara misses tourist target

MATARAM, West Nusa Tenggara: A government official said on Thursday West Nusa Tenggara would likely miss this year's tourist target, with only 185,000 visitors arriving in the province between January and October.

The province was unlikely to reach its target of 250,000 tourists for the year, said Tjok Suthendrarai, the head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Office. "With only three months left, we are pessimistic about meeting the target."

Tjok blamed the Oct. 1 Bali bombings for the lack of tourist arrivals to West Nusa Tenggara, which is near Bali. Before the bombings that killed 20 people, he said the province was gaining popularity among tourists who felt that Bali had become too crowded and had lost some of its appeal. -- Antara