True to its aim of doubling the number of the foreign travellers in the country, Indonesia has recorded a whopping 1.03 million tourists just in the month of January. Indonesia's National Statistics Bureau confirmed that the foreign holiday makers in the country on the first month of the year were 26.58 percent higher compared to the 2016 records.
Included in the figures are the foreigners from Indonesia's neighbouring countries who pass through the Indonesian borders. Also, workers with foreign nationalities whose working permits are only valid for less than 12 months were also incorporated.
According to a report by English.news.cn, Kecuk Suhariyanto, head of the Natioal Statistics Bureau, confirmed that 20.27 percent of the tourists in the month of January were Chinese nationals. On the other hand, 11.82 percent were Singaporeans, 10.21 percent came from Australia, while 9.86 were Malaysian citizens.
Suhariyanto also said that the special tourist promotion to India has eventually resulted to an increase of Indian tourists. From 25,590 last year, 38,670 Indian nationals have visited Indonesia during the first month of 2017, The Jakarta Post reports.
In a press conference at the National Statistics Bureau, Suhariyanto said, "We hope that the period for tourists to stay will rise as tourism sector will be one of the triggers of Indonesian economic growth."
On the other hand, the bureau also said that despite the recorded growth in tourism, the number of tourists from other foreign countries such as Japan has decreased due to the concerns over safety against terrorism attacks and economic stability. From 468,107 in 2016, Japanese citizens that visited Indonesia are lowered by 8.1 percent.
Arief Yahya, the Minister of Tourism of Indonesia, has also confirmed that the country eyes to double the number of foreign tourists visiting the country in the next three years. Yahya said that the Indonesian government is focusing on efforts on how to promote the tourist destinations in Indonesia with the end goal of lifting the number of holiday makers in the country. If these efforts are achieved, Indonesia will not only develop the country's tourism, but will create over 13 million job postings as well.
