US tourists to Indonesia expected to increase

The number of foreign tourist arrivals from the United States is expected to increase by 10 to 15 per cent in 2013, although the country's economy is still expected to slow down, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported, quoting a minister as saying.

"The number of foreign tourists arriving from the United States continues to increase. In the past two years, the arrivals increased by about 10 per cent," Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said here on Monday (Tuesday in Indonesia) on the sidelines of the Tournament of Roses here.

Data at the tourism and creative economy ministry indicated that the number of foreign tourists from the United States visiting Indonesia in 2012 was recorded at 173,798, up 9.95 per cent from 158,077 in 2011.

"Therefore, the US market is very potential for the Indonesian tourism," she said, hoping that the Tournament of Roses this year will bring Indonesia to the eyes of the US public.

She also noted that the US tourists arriving in Indonesia were expected to contribute about six per cent to the total number of foreign tourists visiting Indonesia in 2013.