Holiday Season Domestic Tourist Boon for Bali

Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport has seen a surge in domestic tourists as the holiday season officially begins, with more than 100 domestic flights reaching the resort island carrying almost 17,000 passengers on Friday (23/12).

“The number of domestic flights increased by 18 percent and the passenger count increased by 20 percent, while the same period last year only saw 109 flights carrying 14,023 passengers,” Bali airport operator Angkasa Pura’s head of communications, Awaluddin, told Antara on Saturday.
The airport saw a 6 percent increase in outgoing flights compared to a year earlier, with a 17 percent increase in passenger count.

International flights have also surged by 13 percent, with 14,005 passengers, compared to last year’s 12,405 people.

Awaluddin predicts extra flights will increase by 9 percent to 381 flights, whereas last year it accounted only at 348 flights.

Bali is still among the top tourist destinations this year for Christmas and New Year's holidays, competing with neighboring countries like Singapore and Australia. (Jakarta Globe)