"The significant increase raised the island republic to seventh from ninth position of the ten countries with the highest number of tourists coming the island paradise," head of Bali`s central bureau of statistics (BPS) Gede Suarsa said here on Monday.
He said last year 97,402 Singaporeans enjoyed the unique and beautiful arts and culture as well as nature of the island paradise, while last year there were only 55,992 people, and this year their number increased 73.96 percent.
"Singapore has become one of the potential markets of Bali`s tourism with a good prospect of increase in the coming years," Gede Suarsa said.
He added most Singaporeans to Bali came by plane at Ngurah Rai airport straight from their country, and only eight came by yachts.
Singapore contributed 4.27 pct of the 1.30 million foreign tourists to Bali in the first semester of 2011, a 10.46 pct increase compared to last year`s only 1.18 million in the same period.
Gede Suarsa added that eight of the ten countries with the biggest number of tourists to Bali had an increased number of tourists, and only two declined.
The eight countries are Australia (up 29.33 pct from 278,049 to 348,489), China up 8.29 pct from 98,258 to 106,400, and Malaysia 20.56 pct from 69,251 to 83,491, South Korea 0.99 pct from 59,384 to 59,971, UK 25.86 pct from 38,526 to 48,489, France 7.73 pct from 42,211 to 45,473, and Americans 24.15 pct from 33,268 to 41,303.
The two countries whose peoples have become less interested in Bali are Japan with a drop of 26 ct from 119,731 in the first six months of last year to 88,605 this year`s same period, and Taiwan 0.35 pct drop from 65,589 to 65,360, he said.
(Uu.H-NG/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
