More than 5.7 million foreign tourists visit Bali last year

Gianyar (Antaranews Bali) - More than 5.7 million foreign tourists visited the resort island of Bali in 2017, outstripping the target of 5.5 million for last year, an official said.

"We are still waiting for the last data on the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali by cruise liners. Throughout 2017, 68 cruise liners docked at Tanjung Benoa and Celukan Bawang ports," chief of the Bali Tourism Office AA Yuniartha Putra said while attending a function marking the 60th anniversary of Indonesia-Japan relations on Friday night.

The number of tourist arrivals in 2017 rose 16 percent from 4.92 million a year earlier.

The Bali administration has set a target of tourist arrivals for 2018 at 6.5 million.

To achieve the target, the provincial government has asked district and municipal administrations to create new tourist destinations and develop the existing tourist destinations, he said.

"Bali has 10 excellent destinations located in various districts and municipality and that infrastructures, human resources and promotions must be improved in such way that they attract more tourists," he said.

To attract more Japanese tourists, he said the tourism office is still negotiating with Japan Airline to open regular flight routes to Bali.

"Japan Airline has of late opened chartered flights to Bali. The chartered flights have received good response and increased its load factor so that it plans to open regular flights to Bali," he said.  (WDY)