In December 2010 alone, 644,221 foreign tourists visited the country, a 3.01 percent increase compared to 625,419 in December 2009, the center for data processing and network system at the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
The growth of tourist arrivals in December 2010 had a significant impact on the attainment of the government-set target of 7 million tourist arrivals for last year, the statement said.
It said Australian tourists last year recorded the highest growth of 35.65 percent to 730,941 from 538,849 the year before, with Saudi Arabia trailing behind with 33.33 percent to 68,878, United Arab Emirates 30.48 percent to 4,906, Hong Kong 26.11 percent to 59,279, and South Korea 17.93 percent to 281,785.
In December 2010, the number of Saudi tourists visiting Indonesia grew significantly by up to 81.09 percent, United Arab Emirates 70.42 percent, Hong Kong 49.73 percent, Bahrain 43.48 percent, and Russia 24.13 percent from the same period a year earlier.
In total, the foreign tourists visiting the country last year spent an estimated US$7.6 billion, up 20.63 percent from the year before when the figure was recorded at US$6.3 billion, the Central Statistics Agency said earlier in the day.
The agency said the foreign tourists visiting the country last year spent an estimated US$7.6 billion, up 20.63 percent from the year before when the figure was recorded at US$6.3 billion. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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