DENPASAR ~

The number of foreign tourists in the world-renowned tourist destination of Bali is expected to exceed the government-set target of 3.5 million for this year, an observer said.

“Bali has so far been the favorite tourist destination for international tourists because of its spectacular natural scenery and attractive culture,” tourism observer and practitioner Dewa Nyoman Putra said on Saturday.

The number of foreign tourists visiting Bali in the first half of this year was 1.727,875 million, a 15.73 percent increase compared with 1.483,021 million in the same period last year, according to the data.

“This means, in the first half of 2014 the number of tourist arrivals has come closer to the target. Interestingly, many foreign tourists are expected to spend their holidays in Bali in the middle of this year,” he said.

Although the European and US economies had not shown signs of full recovery, the number of tourist arrivals from the two regions in Bali was on the rise, Nyoman noted.

The same was also true with tourists from other ASEAN member states, he said.

In the first half of this year, 326.993 thousand European tourists visited Bali, accounting for 18.92 percent of the overall tourist arrivals over the period.

Meanwhile, the number of US tourists visiting Bali reached 85.669 thousand in the first half of this year, representing 5 percent of the overall tourist arrivals.

The number of US tourists increased to 14.937 thousand in June from 13 thousand, in January, he said.