Jakarta (ANTARA) - The number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in January 2023 reached 735.95 thousand, an increase of 503.34 percent from 121.98 thousand in January 2022, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has reported.

However, the number of foreign tourist visits in January 2023 actually declined by 17.78 percent compared to the previous month, when they reached 895.12, the agency informed.

"The number of foreign tourist visits to Indonesia in January 2023 was 735.9 thousand visits, down 17.78 percent compared to December 2022. Meanwhile, on an annual basis, this number grew 503.34 percent," deputy for distribution and services statistics at BPS, Pudji Ismartini, said in a presentation in Jakarta on Wednesday.

In January 2023, 620.9 thousand foreign tourists entered Indonesia through the main entrance and the remaining 115 thousand entered through the border entrance, she informed.

The number of foreign tourists entering through the main entry gate fell by 19.07 percent compared to December 2022. Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists entering through the border entrance also slid by 10.09 percent compared to December 2022, Ismartini said.

She informed that foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in January 2023 were dominated by Malaysian tourists, who accounted for 15.26 percent of the visitors; followed by tourists from Australia (13.46 percent), Singapore (13.05 percent), Timor Leste (9.57 percent), and India (4.46 percent).

The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia through the main entrance using air transport in January 2023 was recorded at 485.25 thousand, an increase of 3,233.87 percent compared to January 2022. The number of visits at Soekarno-Hatta Airport increased by 721.36 percent, followed by Sam Ratulangi Airport in North Sulawesi at 72.53 percent.

She further disclosed that the number of visits by foreign tourists through the main entrance using sea transportation in January 2023 was recorded at 127.27 thousand, a sharp increase of 36,365.62 percent compared to 349 visits in January 2022.

This increase was influenced by an increase in the number of visits to Tanjung Benoa Port in Bali by 62,400 percent and to Batam Port in Riau Islands by 39,169.58 percent, she added.

The number of foreign tourists visiting through the main entrance using land transportation in January 2023 reached 8,395, an increase of 3,487.61 percent compared to January 2022, with the largest increase seen at the Atambua-East Nusa Tenggara entrance, Ismartini said.

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Translator: Ade Irma J, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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