Number of foreign tourist arrivals surges in West Java

The number of foreign tourist arrivals in West Java has substantially risen to an average of 1,000 per day following the recent political conflicts in Thailand and the opening of direct flights from Malayaisa to Bandung, a local official said.

“Since the opening of the direct flights to Bandung, the number of foreign tourist arrivals has drastically increased. The condition grows better after the political conflicts in Thailand,” head of the West Java Tourism and Culture Office Iing Herdiwan said as quoted by kompas.com news portal in Bandung on Thursday.

Speaking after kicking off the West Java Adventure-Off Road at Sate building in Bandung, Iing said that at least 300 tourists who initially planned to go to Thailands last week, for example, suddenly changed their destination to West Java.

“Travels agencies, which had signed contracts with the tourists to go to Thailand, changed their travels to other destinations, including West Java,” Iing said.

Iing further said that the rising number of foreign tourists to West Java has been recorded since early this year. In the period between January and May, at least 50,000 foreign tourists visited various tourist objects in the province.

“The fast growth of tourism in West Java has to be responded positively,' Iing added.