TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Foreign tourist arrivals between the period between January and July of 2015 rose 2.69 percent to 5.47 million from 5.32 million in the same period last year, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya stated Thursday, September 3.

According to data provided by the National Statistics Agency and the tourism ministry, the highest growth in the number of visitors was recorded from Saudi Arabia at 127.49 percent, followed by Bahrain at 66.32 percent, United Arab Emirates at 56.96 percent, and Egypt at 44.68 percent, while the number of Chinese visitors rose by 20.60 percent.

In July, a total of 814,233 foreign tourists had visited the country, an increase of 4.76 percent compared to 777,210 in July, last year.

The three main entry gates that recorded a positive growth in tourist arrivals in July are Ngurah Rai Airport, Bali, at 6.40 percent; Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Jakarta, 3.67 percent; and Batam Airport 7.78 percent," the minister noted.

He remarked that tourist arrivals at the three gates contributed to a positive growth of 4.76 percent in July 2015.

He affirmed that a positive growth in tourism was recorded in July 2015 despite the impact of Mount Raung eruption in East Java in mid-July that resulted in the shutdown of Ngurah Rai airport for several days.

ANTARA