REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chinese nationals have topped the list of foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia in Feb, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).

The number of Chinese tourists arriving in Indonesia in Feb was recorded at 194,365, contributing to 21.31 percent of the total arrivals in that month.

BPS Head Suhariyanto stated that the increasing number of Chinese tourists arriving in Indonesia was attributed to the opening of a direct flight from Sam Ratulangi Airport in Manado of North Sulawesi to eight cities in China.

"There many Chinese tourists arriving at Sam Ratulangi Airport, because direct flights have been opened to a number of Chinese cities, making them easy to visit Indonesia," Suhariyanto noted after holding a press conference at the BPS building here on Monday.

The arrival of Chinese tourists in Feb 2017 increased from 161,824 in Feb 2016 to 194,365 or 19.88 percent.

He remarked that the number of foreign tourists arriving in Indonesia through the 19 main gates or non maintain gates in Feb 2017 has reached 957,583, of which 21.31 percent foreign tourists were from China, 10.60 percent were from Australia, 10.48 percent were from Malaysia, 9.76 percent were from Singapore, and 4.29 percent were from Japan.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in Feb 2017 rose by 7.80 percent compared to those arriving in the country in Feb 2016, which stood at 888.31 thousand.

Compared to tourist arrivals in Jan 2016, the arrivals in Jan 2017 declined by 7.29 percent.

In the meantime, the occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in Feb 2017 reached 52.57 percent, up by 0.42 point compared to that in Feb 2016, which was about 50.66 percent.

The occupancy rate of hotels in Feb increased by 1.91 points, compared to that in Jan 2017.

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