The Indian tourism market is exploding and Bali is expected to attract 600 thousand Indian tourists this year which is an increase from 2019’s target of 450 thousand.
According to the Head of the Badung Tourism Board, Made Badra, it will need hard work and cooperation from all of stakeholders to achieve this target. The biggest challenge that must be solved immediately is the issue of direct flights to Bali.
The government, Badra continued, has advised Garuda Indonesia to reactivate their flights to Mumbai or New Delhi in order to double the number of 2019.
Direct Garuda flights to Denpasar from India were terminated in April 2019 after only one year’s service.
“Garuda Indonesia cannot ignore the Indian market, as India has a great potential with their population of 1.3 billion and 600 million of those are in the middle to upper classes who have the ability to travel abroad,” he said to balipost.com on Tuesday.
The Regional Revenue Management Board (BPPD) and Badung Tourism Board took the initiative at the beginning of this month to conduct sales missions to Mumbai and Ahmedabad, which was followed by attending the 2020 South Asia Travel and Tourism Exchange (SATTE) India Conference, the most prestigious tourism exhibition in the south Asian country.
“They responded very positively with our sales missions. We are all optimistic that the Indian market will develop very well and can become the consistent number three contributor in Bali after China and Australia,” Chairman of the Badung BPPD I Gusti Ngurah Rai Suryawijaya told Bisnis.
Source: Bali Times
Cover Photo: Anagha Mirgal
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