The demand from Australian tourists to visit Bali is very high, Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno noted through an official statement on Tuesday.

This is supported by the relaxation of most travel restrictions, improving implementation of health and safety standards, new tourism product offers, and increasing efforts to amplify the uniqueness of Bali's culture.

"The Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is committed to maximizing the potential of Australian tourists to drive economic revival," he remarked.

The ministry strives to increase visits from Australian tourists by facilitating 18 hotel and resort industry actors to conduct a sales mission to Australia on August 22-25, 2022.

The sales mission, themed #itsTimeforBali and Explore Beyond Bali, comprises a series of activities that include one-on-one business meeting, table top meeting, and sales call in two cities, Melbourne, and Sydney.

During the table top meeting, Indonesian tourism actors conducted presentation and developed network with 150 agents and retailers from four main wholesalers in Australia: Flight Centre, Helloworld, Bali Tours, and Hoot Holidays.

In addition, the ministry utilizes the opportunity to establish network with other main industry players comprising Luxury Escapes and Ignite Holidays, mass customers, such as Flight Center, and airlines Virgin Australia and Garuda Indonesia.

"This activity is undertaken with the mission to strengthen the Wonderful Indonesia brand to remain on the top of the minds of tourists across the world, specifically the Australian market," the minister stated.

While Bali remains etched in the minds of tourists, he noted that Indonesia still has other breathtaking destinations, such as the natural beauty and culture in five super-priority tourism destinations.

These destinations comprise Borobudur in Central Java, Likupang in North Sulawesi, Mandalika in West Nusa Tenggara, Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara, and Lake Toba in North Sumatra.

Moreover, the ministry utilizes the momentum of Indonesian tourism revival by introducing three additional destinations in the Australian tourists' vacation plan to Bali that comprise Labuan Bajo, Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, and Borobudur.

In 2019, a total of 1.4 million tourists from Australia visited Indonesia and 1.2 million of them, or around 85 percent, traveled to Bali.

Ever since international travel was reopened in March 2022, the number of Australian tourists that visited Indonesia continues to increase significantly, reaching 118,347 visitors during the period from January to June 2022.

"This sales mission is expected to be able to attract 3.6 million tourists with income equivalent to US$1.7 billion," Uno noted. (Antaranews)