Bali Tourism - An Island's Cash Cow in 2009

(1/20/2010)

During 2009, tourism is estimated to have contributed US$2.7 billion in foreign exchange to Bali's economy, a figure equal to 42% of the total contribution made by the tourism sector to the national economy.

As reported in Bisnis Indonesia, the head of the Bali Tourism Authority, Bagus Kade Subhiksu, said that the total foreign exchange contribution of tourism for Indonesia in 2009 totaled US$6.5 billion. He went on to explain that the 2,259,000 foreign tourists who came to Bali in 2009 spent an average of US$137.90 per person per day over the average 8.75 average-length-of-stay on the island.

Compared to the previous year, foreign exchange revenues generated by Bali's tourism sector declined 4%, despite the record number of visitors. In 2008, an estimated US$2.8 billion in foreign exchange was produced by Bali's foreign visitors. This decrease is linked by officials to a shortening in the average length-of-stay and lower spending levels.

Bali's 4% decline in foreign exchange earnings compares favorably to nation-wide decrease of 11% decrease in foreign exchange earnings from tourism.

Domestic Tourism

In addition to the US$2.7 billion in foreign exchange for Bali tourism in 2009, domestic visitors to Bali were estimated to have spent Rp. 7 trillion (US$744.7 million), while spending an average 4.2 days in Bali and spending Rp. 516,000 per day. An estimated 3.22 million domestic tourists came to Bali in 2009, representing 58.7% of all tourist visitors to the island.

Subhiksu told the press that he hoped the income earned by tourists visitors to Bali and the fees collected for visa-on-arrival will encourage and justify the central government in providing more funds for the development of Bali's infrastructure.