0 Bali eyes local tourists as potential market

With more than 200 million Indonesians vacationing in the country, Bali and other provinces have started to tap this robust market as their main target. M Faried, director of domestic promotion at the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry, said that the growth of domestic tourism had been quite significant in the last few years. “There are some positive developments in air and sea transportation facilities making it possible for people to easily travel to several of the islands in Indonesia,” said Faried. 

In Bali, Lombok and Sumbawa, airport facilities have been improved. Promotional and affordable tickets offered by low-cost airlines have also contributed to the rise in the number of locals traveling across the archipelago. Rizki Handayani, the ministry’s director of Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) and special interest promotions, said that Bali, for instance, had developed into a high-demand location for MICE events within the Asia-Pacific region. Companies operating in the region have found Bali to be suitable for a variety of meetings and conferences. 

“Local companies and government institutions often hold local and national events on the island,” Handayani said. MICE activities have boosted the number of domestic visitors and have contributed to spur tourism growth,” added Handayani. Data from the ministry showed that in 2011 local tourists spent Rp 156.89 trillion (US$16.3 billion) on travel spending, or an average of Rp 700,000 per person. In 2012, the travel spending of local tourists reached Rp 171.5 trillion, or a 9.3 percent increase on the previous year.

Ida Bagus Kade Subhiksu agreed, saying that the number of domestic visitors coming to Bali had risen from only 2.89 million in 2008 to 5.67 million in 2011. In 2012, it was predicted that the number would have increased to 6 million; data for 2012 domestic tourist arrivals has yet not been issued. In 2011, Bali received Rp 13 trillion in revenue from domestic tourism — above its targeted 10 trillion. The majority of domestic tourists had entered Bali either by sea or air, he said. Dozens of airlines offer inexpensive air tickets connecting Bali to various locations across the country. “Never underestimate the potential of domestic tourism. Local people are actually the backbone of our tourist industry,” Subhiksu said.

source : bali daily