Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA News) - Bali has drawn over two million foreign tourists in the January-November period in 2011, according to the local statistics agency.

Data showed that during the January-November period in 2011, Bali received a total of 2.57 million foreign tourists, up 9.55 percent from 2.34 million during the same period in 2010.

"Most of them came to Bali via Ngurah Rai International Airport by direct flights from their countries and only 32,748 tourists came by ship," said Gede Suarsa, head of the Bali branch of the Central Bureau of Statistics, here Monday.

He said that Bali`s foreign tourist arrival target for 2011 had been 2.6 million-2.8 million or higher than the 2010 target of 2.57 million.

Based on the figures achieved until November 2011, Bali`s provincial government was optimistic that its foreign tourist arrival target for the year would be achieved, especially also because the target for December 2011 was higher than for the previous months.

Gede Suarsa said the number of foreign tourists who came to Bali in November 2011 was 221,603 or up 88 percent from the same period in 2010.

The foreign tourists consisted of 220,341 who landed at Ngurah Rai International Airport and 1,262 people who came by ship. Gede Suarsa said from ten largest countries which contributed tourists, eight of them increased significantly while the other two saw a decrease during the January-November period in 2011.

The countries that contributed an increased number of tourists were Australian (up 23,86 percent from 579,624 people), China (up 16,80 percent from 185,819 people), Malaysia (up 11,71 percent from 135.811), Taiwan (up 4,57 percent from 116,486 people), South Korea (up 0,79 percent from 115,593 people), France (up 6,91 percent from 98,018 people), Singapore (up 17,97 percent from 80,733 people) and England (up 6,10 percent from 88,018).

While the two from where fewer tourists came were Japan (down 26,47 percent from 229,295 tourists) and Germany (down 0,75 percent from 79,896 tourists) during the January-November period in 2011, said Gede Suarsa.
(Uu.F013/HAJM/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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