RI attracted seven million plus foreign tourists in 2010

Antara News, Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia was in 2010 visited by a total of about seven million foreign tourists who spent more than US$ 7 billion in the country, Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said.

"The Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) has recorded seven million foreign tourist arrivals or more than the target figure for 2010. More detailed information on this matter will be given in early 2011," the minister said when attending a Visit Indonesia Year (VIY) 2010 appraisal night here Monday (Dec 27).

Jero said the seven million foreign tourist arrivals constituted a new record because in 2009 the target figure was about 6.45 million.

"In my contract with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, I promised to attract 6.75 million tourists. But it turned out to be more than 7 million," Jero said.

Jero also stated tourism in Indonesia during 2010 was hampered by several natural disasters like the Mt. Merapi eruptions in October to November.

"I was worried when 14 airlines canceled their flights to Jakarta and Yogyakarta last November. But it did not last long because I met the managements of the airlines," Jero said.

The normalization of airline flights had a salutary effect on the target`s achievement which was 9.3 percent up from 6.45 million in 2009 , said the minister.