"The significant increase bought ​​Singapore to the top of ten countries with the biggest number of foreign tourists to the island republic," head of the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Gede Suarsa noted.
He said that during 2010 some 97,402 Singapore tourists enjoyed unique art and culture as well as panorama of the island, an increase to 73.96 percent compared to last year`s 55,992.
"Singapore is one of the potential markets for tourism in Bali and many more are expected to go there in the future," Gede Suarsa hoped.
He added, the Singaporeans on vacation in Bali, arrived at Ngurah Rai airport by the plane straight from their country, and only eight came by yachts.
Singapore contributed 3.71 percent of the total of 624,196 foreign tourists visiting Bali in the first quarter of 2011, a 10.70 percent increase compared to the 563,847 in last year`s same period.
In the meantime, six of the ten countries experienced a significant rise in the number of tourists, while those of the other four countries dropped.
The tourists of the six countries came from Australia with an increase of 28.59 percent from 120,238 to 156,093, Malaysia 45.63 percent from 27,548 to 40,118, and Russia by 25.16 percent from 21,250 to 26,596 people.
In addition, the tourists from the UK increased by 46.35 percent from 14,081 to 20,508, and the United States by 32.65 percent from 14,514 to 19,386.
Meanwhile the four countries with a decline of the number of tourists to Bali included China 2.15 per cent from 58,225 to 56,971 , Japan 19.68 percent from 65,059 to 52,253, Taiwan 15.29 percent from 33,714 to 28,558 and South Korea by 1.39 percent from 28,396 to 26,002e, Gede Suarsa said.
(ANTARA)
Editor: Ella Syafputri
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
