0 Asia Pacific region grows as Bali’s major market

Visitors from the Asia-Pacific region have flooded the island of Bali, contributing around 71.64 percent of the estimated 2.8 million foreign tourists to the island in 2012. IB Kade Subhiksu, head of the Bali Tourism Office, told Bali Daily on Friday that seven countries had contributed significantly to the growth of tourism in Bali. The countries were Australia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. “Actually, there has been quite high growth from every region including North America, Europe and the Middle East. 

But, the distance factor really accounts for visitors from Asia Pacific countries visiting Bali,” explained Subhiksu. Visitors from European and North American countries prefer to spend holidays closer to home because of economic conditions and security issues. Limited air transportation services connecting Bali and destinations in Europe and the US had greatly affected the arrivals of visitors from those regions, he said. “People from the US and Europe have to transit before reaching Bali as only a very few international airlines have opened direct flight services to the island,” said Subhiksu. 

Data from the Bali Tourism Office revealed that foreign tourist arrivals between January and November 2012 totaled 2.62 million, a 4.55 percent increase from 2011. Data for December’s figure is not yet available. Visitors from Asia Pacific (Excluding ASEAN countries) totaled 1.55 million, contributing around 59.2 percent to the total foreign tourist arrivals in 2012. Tourists from ASEAN countries (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) numbered around 523,221 people or 12.2 percent. 

The combined percentage of tourist arrivals from Asia Pacific region including ASEAN countries stood at 71.64 percent. Meanwhile, visitors from North America totaled 130,406 (4.97 percent); those from Africa reached 17,235 people (0.66 percent); European visitors totaled 588,329 (22.42 percent); visitors from Middle Eastern countries reached 7,424 people (0.28 percent); and those from other nations totaled 555 people (0.02 percent). “The United States, Canada and several European countries such as the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Russia were all included in the main 20 countries that have been Bali’s major market,” he said. 

According to a survey, the average length of stay of European tourists, especially Dutch tourists, was 17.37 days, followed by French visitors with 13.74 days, Americans with 12.49 days and British tourists with 11.84 days. Visitors from Asia spent shorter holidays on the island with Japanese tourists staying for an average of 6.97 days; Singaporeans with 5.95 days; Chinese tourists with 5.77 days; Malaysians with 5.31 days; and Taiwanese visitors with 5.49 days. In terms of spending, Americans spent an average of US$148.77 per day; Australians spent $182.9 per day; Singaporeans spent $199.07; Chinese visitors spent $173.88; Malaysians spent $174.80; Britons spent $128.60; and French visitors spent an average of $124.45 per day. 

Ketut Ardana, chairman of the Bali branch of the Association of Indonesian Tours and Travel Agents (ASITA), said that the shifting of Bali’s tourism market had been going on since the early 1990s. “In the past, only wealthy tourists from North America, Canada, Europe and Australia were able to undertake long-distance travel. Now, times have changed. Some Asian countries such as China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have become the world’s emerging economies where people have greater purchasing power,” Ardana said.

BD/Wasti Atmodjo
source : bali daily