THE TIMES OF INDIA

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2003

Indonesian tourist inflow drops 21 pc

AP

JAKARTA: The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia fell 21 per cent
in the first seven months of the year, a slump blamed on the terrorist
attack in Bali, the Iraq war and the SARS outbreak, a report said late
Thursday.

Speaking at a UN-organised tourist conference on Lombok island, Deputy
Minister for Foreign Cooperation Thamrin Bahri said that only 1.94 million
tourists arrived during the January-July period, compared to 2.46 million in
the same period in 2002.

``The recent tragedies in Indonesia caused the number of foreign
tourists...to decline,'' he was quoted as saying by national news agency
Antara.

Several countries have warned travellers to avoid visiting Indonesia due to
risk of further terrorist attacks. Last month a car bomb exploded outside a
luxury hotel in Jakarta, killing 12 people and injuring almost 150.

Last year, 5.04 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia, generating $4.3
billion in revenues. Indonesia is hoping to earn $3.5 billion from tourism
this year.

On Wednesday, officials said most foreign visitors will need a visa to enter
Indonesia from Dec. 1, a move tourist workers warn may deter some
travellers. Currently, tourist visas are issued on arrival at no extra
charge.

Copyright © 2003 Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.