Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (Menparekraf) Sandiaga Uno is targeting foreign tourist visits to Bali in 2023 to reach 4 million people. He passed it on when welcoming the arrival of the first tourists visiting Bali in 2023 on Sunday (1/1) morning at the international arrivals terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Tuban Airport, Kuta District, Badung.

Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno and Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati (Cok Ace) welcomed tourists through a procession of flower garlands and were greeted with traditional Balinese dances. The couple from Toronto, Canada and the couple from South Korea became the representatives of the 273 passengers on the Korean Air flight from Incheon, South Korea, which landed around 00:00 WITA in Bali.

The Menparekraf and Deputy Governor of Bali draped flowers directly for the two couples while wishing them a happy new year. “We are honored that the first visit to Bali was a couple from Toronto. They said they would stay in Bali for a month and one of the plans would be to dive in Bali,” said Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno. He added that the target for foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2023 was 7.4 million people and of course Bali would be the backbone to achieve this target.

“It is hoped that Bali will reach 4 million visits. In 2022 alone, the target is 1.5 million foreign tourists visiting Bali, then increasing to 1.8 million and even exceeding 2.2 million visits. “target for tourism and MSMEs, employment is achieved, even though we started to ‘start’ in March (after the international doors opened, editor’s note),” he added. For this reason, Sandiaga Uno admits that he is very optimistic about the existing trends and hopes this will be the impetus for the continued recovery of tourism. “We are therefore very optimistic that 2023 will be the year of our full awakening, especially since the PPKM has already been opened,” he added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor Cok Ace also expressed his optimism that 2023 will be the year Bali once again becomes the number one tourist destination and once again triumphs in the tourism sector. “Previously, they (a couple from Toronto, editor’s note) said they wanted to take a month-long vacation in Bali. Now the average (long-stay tourists, editor’s note) is only half a week. Hopefully this is the start of a comeback.” at the peak of tourism in Bali with an average tourist stay of 10 days,” he said.

“I hope this will be a good start for the people of Bali, let’s welcome 2023 with hope and optimism and we can rise again,” added the president of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI). bali.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of Angkasa Pura I, Handy Heryuudhitiawan explained that the departure of passengers in 2023 will take place in the waiting room of the international departure terminal at Ngurah Rai airport, namely Emirates flight EK399. on the Denpasar-Dubai route as scheduled. take off at 00:05. Passengers received flower garlands and chocolates as thanks and appreciation for flying at Ngurah Rai Airport. “Meanwhile, at the time of New Year 2023, the first passengers who landed were also welcomed, namely Korean Air flight KE 629 for the Incheon-Denpasar route, which landed at 00:00 WITA,” Handy said, last Sunday.

Handy Heryudhitiawan admitted that releasing the last departure of passengers in 2022 and welcoming the first passengers in 2023 is a form of gratitude for the closure of 2022 and the beginning of 2023. The Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia and the Deputy Governor of Bali Province were also present. “This activity gives a sense to the passengers of Ngurah Rai Airport that it is a form of attention given to the improvement of the aviation sector as well as tourism which has an effect on the increase well-being of the people of the island of Bali,” Handy said.

For your information, Handy said, in welcoming the New Year 2023, Ngurah Rai Airport presented regional dance performances from December 23 to 31, 2022 in domestic and international terminal areas. This activity is in line with the increase in the number of passengers in Christmas and New Year 2023 according to data from the integrated service post from December 19 to 31, 2022, there were 735,187 passengers and 4,890 aircraft movements. “I hope it will be a good impression especially for all passengers in the new year 2023 and it will be a bright start for Ngurah Rai Airport,” he concluded. *dar, cr78