Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia is predicted to increase in 2018 with improving economy of big tourist market China, India, Japan and South Korea.
"The economic condition of a country would determine the number of people holidaying abroad from that country," Deputy for Development and Marketing of Foreign Tourism at the Tourism Ministry I Gde Pitana said speaking at a meeting "Sales and Marketing Summit 2017" here on Friday.
Pitana said his office would optimize tourism promotion both through conventional marketing and by using information technology through networks promotion.
The tourism ministry hopes to chalk up 17 million visits of foreign tourists in the country in 2018 and 20 million in 2019, he said.
The elections which are to be held at once for regional leaders in 2018 would have no significant effect on the number of foreign visitors to the country, he said.
"We are not worried by the regional elections. The election would not discouraged visitors to Indonesia," he added.
On the contrary the election would contribute to economic growth in the regions with many hotels recording higher occupancy rate and small enterprises enjoying larger turnover.
Pitana acknowledged there was a decline in the visits of foreign tourists to Bali, the country`s largest tourist destination, because of the threat of angry volcano Mount Agung, which frequently spews volcanic matters sending black smokes to the sky lately.
In September 2017, the number of visits by foreign tourist to Bali grew 25 percent year-on-year , but in October the growth rate dropped to only 6 percent.
"The number continued to grow but slower as many foreign tourists decided to cancel visit to the island on fear of the report of volcanic explosions, although in general the condition in Bali is still normal," he said.
However, promotional activities should continue to convince tourists that it is safe in Bali, he added.(WDY)
