Badung sees fall in tourist's length of stay

BADUNG: The average of tourists' length of stay from 10-14 days in 2002 to only seven days in 2009, an official confirmed.

Badung's head of tourist office, I Made Subawa, said the decrease was due to the recent global financial crisis and the slow progress of tourist development program in the regency.

Badung is the richest regency in Bali covering popular tourist destinations including Kuta, Nusa Dua and Jimbaran areas where luxury hotels, villas and tourist establishments were rapidly sprawling.

"Tourists from the United States and European countries have been shortening their visits to Bali. We assumed that it was caused by the world economic crisis," Subawa said.

However, the regency generated more financial revenues thanks to the influx of domestic and Chinese tourists to Bali.

"Badung has at least 33 tourist destinations, but only four successfully attract foreign tourists." - JP