"The interest among foreigners in the Middle East who want to enjoy beautiful and peaceful Bali is quite large," said tourism observer Dewa Nyoman Putra here, on Tuesday.
This enthusiasm is proven by the increasing numbers each month of foreigners from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and many Middle East countries to come to Bali.
As recorded in Bali Government Tourism Office, through September 2015, visits from Middle Eastern citizens reached 22,657. The number is higher than last year's visits, which only reached 21.586 tourists.
The foreigners are mostly come from 22 countries, including Saudi Arabia, with 5,499 tourist from January to September 2015, followed by Turkey, with 3,639 tourists.
Meanwhile, Egyptian tourists made up 2,972 people during the first nine months of 2015 who came to Bali. People from Iran recorded as many as 2,417 and Kuwait brought 1,416 tourists.
Nyoman Putra added, with only limited promotions in these countries, it exceed the expectations that foreigners would spend their holidays in Bali. They believe that promotions will pull more people to come.
The government initiative is quite impressive. Putra said the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism is cooperating with the Indonesian Embassy in Riyadh to hold tourism promotions in three Saudi cities.
Meanwhile, tourism organizations that joined the promotion are Sun Island Bali group, Discovery Hotel Kartika Plaza, and Samabe Bali Suites & Villas, Nira Travel and Bali intercontinental Resort, and the Department of Culture and Tourism of West Nusa Tenggara province.
Also invited to participate were tourism industry actors with tourism businesses in Saudi Arabia.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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