DENPASAR – More than 2.38 million foreign tourists visited Bali last year, up 14.48 percent from a year earlier.
In December 2009 alone, the number of foreign tourists visiting the resort island was 222,546, a 26.47 percent increase compared to the same period a year earlier or a 20.42 percent increase compared to November 2009, figures from the Bali statistics office show.
Australia was Bali’s biggest source of foreign tourists, contributing 446,570, an increase of 42.62 percent from the year before.
China came in second place with 205,151 tourists, up 56.98 percent compared to 2008.
The number of Japanese, South Korean and Taiwanese tourists visiting Bali last year fell by an average of about 7.50 percent.
Services into Bali from Australia have been growing strongly, especially from Perth.
Garuda Indonesia, Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Indonesia AirAsia fly to Bali from Perth. Skywest Airlines has indicated that it will launch flights from Perth this year, as does Brisbane-based Strategic Airlines.
Strategic launched Perth to Derby services this week with a 180-seat Airbus A320 replacing the failed OzJet service.
