TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy said that there has been a significant uptrend in the number of foreign tourist arrivals. From January to September, 2.27 million foreign travelers visited Indonesia, an increase of more than 2,500 percent.

"The increase was 2,530.58 percent from the same period in 2021. In September alone, the number of visits was 538,320 or up by 10,768.46 percent from September 2021," Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno told Tempo on Thursday, November 10.

According to Sandiaga, more than 50 percent of the visits were made to Bali. "The rest is spread between Batam and Bintan, Jakarta, Manado, as well as cities near the border gates such as Pontianak, Bitung, and Atambua in East Nusa Tenggara," he said.

Sandiaga said that the 2.27 million foreign visits as of Q3/2022 had passed the target. The country's foreign exchange earnings target of US$470 million has also been exceeded.

By the end of the year, the Indonesian government is targeting to welcome 3.6 million foreign tourists, with foreign exchange earnings pegged to reach US$1.7 billion.

"We remain optimistic that it will be achieved or approaching," the former Jakarta deputy governor said.

M Khory Alfarizi

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