Head of BPS Margo Yuwono remarked that as compared to the same month in 2022, this figure had increased by 470.37 percent, thereby indicating continued revival of the tourism sector in Indonesia.
"The number of foreign tourist visits has continued to increase since last year, but as compared to before the pandemic, conditions in 2023 have not returned to the pre-pandemic levels," Yuwono stated at a press conference of the Release of Statistical News in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Yuwono noted that revival of the tourism sector was also marked by a cumulative increase in the number of foreign tourist visits from January to March 2023 that reached 2.25 million, or increased by 508.87 percent, as compared to the corresponding period in 2022.
Based on the type of entry points, 704.41 thousand foreign tourist visits were recorded in March 2023 through the main entry points and 105.55 thousand visits through the border entry points. The number of visits through the main entry points was dominated by foreign tourists using air transportation that contributed 78.85 percent.
Meanwhile, foreign tourists using sea and land transportation contributed only 19.32 percent and 1.83 percent respectively.
Some 555.43 thousand visits by foreign tourists through the main entry points using air transportation were recorded in March 2023, an increase of 1,321.92 percent as compared to March 2022 (year-on-year/yoy) and 13.80 percent as compared to February 2023 (month-to-month).
The increase in the number of foreign tourist visits in March 2023 as compared to the same month last year (yoy) was also witnessed across all national groups. The highest increase in foreign tourists was recorded from Oceania, at 2,063.58 percent, followed by tourists from the US, at 1,260.51 percent.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists coming from Asia, apart from the ASEAN, recorded the lowest increase, at only 241.18 percent.
"The number of foreign tourists coming from Africa experienced the biggest increase, namely 20.37 percent. On the other hand, tourists coming from the Middle East actually experienced a decrease of 4.67 percent," Yuwono pointed out.
Based on nationality, foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in March 2023 chiefly constituted those from Malaysia reaching 124.62 thousand visits (15.39 percent); followed by those from Singapore, 111.26 thousand visits (13.74 percent); Australia, 96.16 thousand visits (11.87 percent); Timor-Leste, 63.59 thousand visits (7.85 percent); and China, 51.97 thousand visits (6.42 percent).
In terms of the average length of stay, foreign tourists that departed from Indonesia in March 2023 spent 9.82 days in the country. Based on the nationality group, foreign tourists from the ASEAN had the shortest average length of stay of 4.71 days, while tourists from Europe had the longest average length of stay of 20.11 days.
Meanwhile, based on nationality, the longest average length of stay was recorded among Russian tourists, at 40.97 days, while the shortest stay period was recorded among Hong Kong tourists, at 2.27 days.
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Translator: Maria Cicilia Galuh, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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