Bali, Indonesia. (Photo: Blue Sky Travel)Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesia recorded 160,280 foreign tourist arrivals in June, down2.06 percent from the previous month and representing a drop of 88.82 percent as compared to the same monthlast year, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
The COVID-19pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the local tourism sector, BPS chief Suhariyanto said during a virtual press conference onAugust 3.
The number offoreign tourists arriving in Indonesia totalled 3.09 million in the first halfof this year, a 59.96 percent decrease from 7.72 million registered in thecorresponding period last year, he said.
With mostdomestic and international travel having ceased, the occupancy rate of starhotels across the island country remained low at 19.7 percent in June, a dropof 32.57 percentage points from a year earlier and 5.25 percentage points fromMay.
The pandemichas wiped out around 85 trillion rupiah (5.87 billion USD) of Indonesia’stourism revenue this year. The hotel and restaurant industry has lost nearly 70trillion rupiah in revenue as leisure travel has come to a complete halt, whileaviation and tour operators have lost 15 trillion rupiah in revenue, accordingto data from the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI).
Despite havingyet to bring the coronavirus under control, Indonesia is seeking to speed upthe recovery of tourism by reopening its renowned tourist destination Bali.Domestic travelers could visit Bali from July 31 and international visitorswill be permitted starting from September 11./.
VNA
