REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DENPASAR -- Over four million international tourists are expected to visit Bali in 2016, an official predicts.
Head of Tourism Office of Bali Anak Agung Gede Yuniartha said on Monday that he anticipates Bali will attract some 4.2 million foreign tourists in 2016.
However, the target number of tourist visits in Bali has not been officially announced by the local authority.
The administration is now cooperating with a team from Udayana University to determine the 2016 target.
"The team has started counting, using some formulas (to determine the number)," Yuniartha said.
Bali Island attracted 4,001,654 foreigners in 2015. "The 2016 target could be higher," he said.
The 2015 visits might have been higher, but natural disasters, such as eruptions of Mount Raung of East Java and Mount Barujari of Lombok, slowed tourism.
The volcanic ash from the two eruptions disrupted flights and the tourism sector in Bali.
The global economy condition and the Paris terror attack might also have affected tourist visits to Bali, he said.
Official data showed that in 2015, tourists visits in Bali were dominated by Australians (965,330), followed by Chinese (687,633) and Japanese (228,035).
The remainder of foreign tourists were from Malaysia (190,317), Britain (167,527), South Korea (152,244), Singapore (146,632), US (133,701), France (131,411) and Taiwan (124,072).
Meanwhile, Head of Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) of Bali Province Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati said the quality of tourism destinations in Bali should be improved to lure more tourists.
"If the parking and service facilities are good and clean, tourists would not be reluctant to spend more money for them," Sukawati noted.
Bali Island was selected as one of the world's best island destinations by the US Travel+Leisure Magazine at the end of 2015.
Based on the New York-based Travel+Leisure Magazine, the ratings of the world?s best islands are Galapagos Islands of Ecuador with a score of 90.82, Bali of Indonesia (Score 88.98), Maldives (score: 88.53), Tasmania of Australia (score: 88.32), Santorini of Greece (score: 87.93), Moorea of French Polynesia (score: 87.90), Maui of Hawaii (score: 87.89), Kauai of Hawaii (score: 87,88), Great Barrier Reef of Australia (score: 87.31), and Malta (score: 86.90).
