Export Of Bali Paintings Up 10.14 Pct

Denpasar (Antara Bali) - The export of Bali paintings reached 1.29 million US dollars in the January-November 2011 period, up 10.14 percent compared to that in last year's same period.

The significant increase happened in the export of 9.14 million  paintings whereas in the same period 586,489 paintings had been exported worth 1.18 million US dollars, public relations chief of the Bali provincial administration I Ketut Teneng said in Denpasar Wednesday.

He said  the export of Bali's paintings has increased by up to  1,459.14 percent.

Ketut Teneng said the export of paintings had been fluctuating each year, but in the last five years the exports have increased by  41.4 pct.

The painting exports in 2010 produced 1.70 million US dollars in foreign exchange.

In 2006 the foreign exchange earnings reached 782,972 US dollars, and increased 184.9 percent to 8.23 million US dollars in 2007 and in 2008 increased by 63.1 percent to 3.63 million US dollars.

In 2009 the painting exports produced 2.42 million US dollars in foreign exchange.

Almost all the foreign tourists who returned home after their holiday in Bali bought handicraft articles including paintings,  Ketut Teneng said.

Likewise, domestic tourists when holidaying in the island paradise did the same, Ketut Teneng said.(T007)