REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The number of offshore tourists visiting Indonesia in October rose by 4.59 percent on a yearly basis to 719,900 persons, the national statistic bureau said here on Monday.

More specifically, the number of foreign visitors to Bali, the center of Indonesia's tourism industry, increased by 5.44 percent to 266,500 people in October against the same period last year, Suryamin, head of Statistics Indonesia, told a press conference held at the bureau.

Indonesia expects 9 million foreign tourists to visit the country this year, up from 8.04 million recorded last year.

The government is attempting to lure more overseas holiday makers by encouraging more Muslim tourists and boosting health tourism, as most of Indonesia's 238 million population are Muslim, with the majority of them moderate.

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