S’pore tourist arrivals to Bali up 66%

DENPASAR: The number of Singapore tourist arrivals to Bali from January to October this year increased 66 percent to 69,952 from 42,124 during the same period last year.

Gede Suarsa, head of the Bali Statistics Bureau, said the number of Australian tourist arrivals also increased, by 47 percent, and German visitors by 13.64 percent and Malaysian visitors by 8.06 percent.

On the other hand, the number of Japanese tourists fell 24.43 percent and French visitors were down by 6.84 percent.

Bali expects to welcome a total of 2.6 million foreign visitors in 2010.

Ismoyo S. Soemarlan, chairman of the Bali Villa Association, said that 80 percent of Asian tourist arrivals this year, including those from Singapore, China, and Malaysia, stayed at villas in Bali.

Villa rates range from Rp 1 million (US$110) to Rp 1.5 million per night, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as transportation and guide. — JP