TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of U.S. tourist arrivals surged 31.61 percent year-on-year to 98,594 in the first seven months of this year.

"Most of the U.S. flew in directly from the United States to land at the International Airport of Ngurah Rai.

Only 4,212 of them entered Bali by sea on board tourist boats," head of the Bali Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) Adi Nugroho said on Friday.

The number of tourists from the United States holidaying in Bali is 7th largest among foreign visitors.

The largest in number were those from Australia, followed by those from China, Japan, Britain, India and Malaysia

"It is a significant increase from only the 10th largest in earlier years.

The position is expected to rise in the coming years with the rising trend lately," Adi said.

He said altogether, the U.S. tourists made up 3.58 percent of the total number of foreign tourists in arrivals of 2.755 million in the first seven months of 2016.

Head of the Bali tourist office Anak Agung Yuniartha Putra said he predicted the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Bali would reach 4.4 million this year.

With arrivals already reaching 2.7 million until July, the target is expected to be reached with monthly arrivals averaging 350,000, Anak Agung said.

He said most or around 65 percent of foreign tourists visiting Bali are interested more in Bali's cultural arts with only 35 percent interested in its natural beauty.

Indonesia sets target for tourist arrivals at 12 million this year or an increase of 20 percent from last year's 10 million figure.

ANTARA