Bali by the numbers: September numbers continue year-long patterns of record setting arrivals. For the month of September 2008 a total of 181,033 foreign visitors came to Bali, a jump of 18.69% over September 2007 (152,532). Month after month from January – September 2008 the total arrivals to Bali have continued to perform in never-before-seen record territory.

Will We Hit 2 Million in 2008?

Year to date through the end of September 2008 a total of 1,479,079 foreign tourism have visited Bali. This total is a 20.28% improvement over the same period in 2008. In the face of world-wide economic uncertainty, it remains to be seen if Bali can maintain this same level of year-on-year improvement through year’s end which would yield just over 2 million visitors – the first time ever that Bali foreign tourist arrivals have broken that barrier.

Where the Business is Coming From?

The top four source markets for Bali remain unchanged

Japan – At the end of Q3 2008 a total 281,561 Japanese tourists came to Bali, up 5.04% over 2007.

Australia – Australian arrival figures are through the roof, defying any negative impact of a weakening national currency. At 226,799 visitors through the end of September, Australian arrivals are a staggering 55.80% ahead of 2007. New air capacity ex Australia being introduced in the last quarter of 2008 should boost these numbers even higher.

Taiwan – Taiwan numbers are weakening with only 105,494 visitors through Q3 2008, down 7.08% from the same period in 2007. Easier access to the mainland for Taiwanese visitors may be siphoning off part of this traditional market from Bali.

South Korea – Weathering the ill effects of a weaker Won, South Korean arrivals at 96,854 through the end of Q3 are up a modest 3.11%.

Other Key Markets

Mainland China – PRC visitors have supplanted Malaysian visitors, now ranking #5 in terms of Bali arrivals. Chinese arrivals jumped 53.3% year-to-date through the end of Q3 2008, totaling 93,773. The Chinese are now poised to move up to the #4 post, surpassing South Korean visitors.

Malaysia – Malaysia remains an important, albeit short stay and low spending market for Bali. Through the end of Q3 2008, Malaysian visitors hit 89,018 – that’s an increase of 21.56% over the same period in 2007.

United Kingdom – Still not what they were in their heydays of 2000 and 2001, U.K. visitors nonetheless improved 21.32% year-to-date with 62,201 foreign tourists from that market coming to Bali through the end of Q3 2008.

Germany – German visitors are up 17.76% over last year at 60,287.

France – French tourists are up 26.30% in 2008, achieving 59,579 visitors through the end of Q3 2008.

U.S.A. – Relaxed travel advisories have spurred a 28.93% improvement in the U.S. market over the previous year. Some 52,340 Americans visited Bali in the first nine months of 2008.