According to a tempo.co report, Emil Hardy Ridwan, the Visit Indonesia Tourism Officer (VITO) country manager based in Melbourne, Australia, said Bali was one of the top destinations among visitors from the neighboring country.

"Australia is still an exceptional Indonesian tourism market, because 90 percent of Australian [overseas] travel is to Bali," Emil said in Melbourne on Monday, as quoted by

He added that the top three destinations among Australian travelers included New Zealand and the United States. The majority of trips to New Zealand, he said, were taken to visit family or relatives. 

Read also: Indonesia set to attract more tourists from Western Australia

"So, for tourism, Bali is still a favorite destination," Emil said.

He added that the closure of Ngurah Rai International Airport in late November because of the Mt Agung eruption was not a concern among Australian travelers.

"They didn't worry, especially young, independent travelers, although many travelers in the family segment are holding back and are not traveling to Bali temporarily," Emil said. 

Emil said demand remained high, even after Melbourne-based airline Jetstar increased its flights to Denpasar from seven to twelve times a week. He added that Australia had a huge market potential that must be maintained.

Emil said Indonesia aimed to welcome 1.8 million Australian visitors before the yearend. (liz/kes)

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