BPS: Indonesia’s Foreign Tourist Arrivals Rise 2.63 Percent

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has reported that the number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in July 2019 reached 1.48 million visits or increased by 2.04 percent compared to June 2019.

However, the figure has decreased to 1.55 million visits or by 4.10 percent compared to the same month in previous year.

“The number of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia from January to July 2019 reached 9.31 million visits, or rose by 2.63 percent compared to the same period in previous year which was 9.07 million visits,” Head of the BPS Suhariyanto said in a press conference at the BPS Office, Jakarta, Monday (2/9).

According to Suhariyanto, of the 1.48 million visits, 977.42 thousand foreign tourists entered Indonesia by air transportations, 316.72 thousand via sea transportations, and 189.65 thousand via land transportations.

Furthermore, the BPS Head said that from 1.48 million visits in July 2019, the ASEAN tourists experienced the highest increase compared to July 2018, which was 9.81 percent, and the number of Asian tourists other than ASEAN experienced a decline up to 16.53 percent.

Based on nationality, the highest foreign tourist visits in July 2019 was from Malaysia (240.3 thousand visits or 16.19 percent), followed by China (193.8 thousand visits or 13.06 percent), Singapore (145.0 thousand visits or 9.77 percent), Australia (138.3 thousand visits or 9.32 percent), and Timor Leste (108.6 thousand visits or 7.32 percent), Suhariyanto said.

Cumulatively, the BPS also reported that the highest foreign tourists visit from January to July 2019 was recorded by the visit of Malaysian tourists (1.84 million visits or 19.78 percent), followed by Chinese tourists (1.25 million visits or 13.37 percent), Singaporean tourists (1,07 million visits or 11.50 percent), Australian tourists (745.5 thousand visits or 8.01 percent), and Timor Leste tourists (717.1 thousand visits or 7.70 percent).

According to Suhariyanto, the number of foreign tourists’ arrivals by air transportations in July 2019 declined by 8.94 percent compared to the same month in the previous year.

The decline occurred at eleven airports with the highest percentage decline, among others, Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara, which declined by 61.97 percent, followed by Juanda Airport in East Java, which declined by 24.70 percent, and Adi Sucipto Airport in Yogyakarta which declined by 22.80 percent.

In the meantime, it is reported that there is an increase in visitor arrivals by air transportations in at least four airports. Supadio Airport in West Kalimantan recorded the highest increase of 12.51 percent, and Minangkabau Airport in West Sumatra recorded the lowest increase of 1.90 percent.

In addition, foreign tourists’ arrivals by land transportations in July 2019 decreased by 14.33 percent compared to the same month in the previous year. “The decline occurred at Jayapura in Papua by 16.35 percent, while the highest percentage increase occurred at Nanga Badau in West Kalimantan by 38.75 percent,” Suhariyanto said.

The highest decline is recorded at Aruk in West Kalimantan which figure declined by 49.01 percent, while the highest increase occurred at two locations, namely Jayapura in Papua and Atambua in East Nusa Tenggara, which figure rose by 28.46 percent and 2.79 percent, respectively. (Humas BPS/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Mia Medyana