Denpasar (Antaranews Bali) - The number of foreign tourists visiting the resort island of Bali is estimated to reach 5.7 million by this year-end, Bali's Tourism Office said.
"At least 5.7 million, from our target of 5.5 million foreign tourists have already visited the island this year," said the head of Bali's Tourism Office Anak Agung Yuniartha Putra, here on Friday.
From January to November, the number of foreign tourists had reached 5.4 million, Yuniartha stated. "And I am still waiting for the data on December."
The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali has increased during the past few days after it dropped sharply due to the Mount Agung eruption that forced the government to close the Ngurah Rai International Airport temporarily.
"Yesterday (Thursday) the number of foreign tourists reached 15 thousand, the number has increased from some 14 thousand tourists per day previously," he added.
The number, he noted, has yet to include the Chinese tourists as the country had issued a travel warning to the island since November 27, following the volcano eruption.
Yuniartha was optimistic that after China revoked its travel warning on December 26, the total number of foreign tourists to Bali would increase.
On an average, 3,000 Chinese tourists visit Bali per day, he claimed.
"In January, they will come again to Bali," Yuniartha remarked, adding that the number of local tourists has also increased to 17 thousand per day.
He lauded President Joko Widodo's move to hold a meeting with Vice President Jusuf Kalla and some cabinet ministers in Bali to show that the resort island was safe despite the Mount Agung eruption.
"This was very helpful, and such a remarkable move. Moreover, the Vice President and his family will spend their year-end holiday in Bali," he affirmed. (WDY)
