Indonesia’s tourism sector will give priority to five major tourismmarkets to improve service quality and attract foreign tourists amidstthe financial and public debt crisis in the US and European countries.

The Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy isurging Bali and other tourist destinations in Indonesia to focuson five markets, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Australia,China and Japan, in 2013, Secretary of Directorate General forTourism Marketing Gusti Ngurah Putra was quoted as saying.

Theministry was currently actively promoting new types of touristdestination, such as ecotourism and village tourism, as well asstrengthening tourism promotion in other countries.

Indonesia has 16 traditional and emerging tourist markets, includingEurope, the US, Russia and India, but this year, Putrasaid, the ministry was willing to focus on the five big markets, whichhave made remarkable contributions to its tourism sector.

According to Putra, Malaysia and Singapore have been growinginto the largest markets for Indonesia because of their closegeographical and cultural distance.

Australia, Bali’s leading market, also had geographical benefit. “Bali is viewed as their second home,” Putra added.

Thenumber of tourists from Japan to Bali fell significantly becauseof the natural disaster and economic condition, but now it is on anupward trend again, he said.

Bali Tourism Agency said the numberof Chinese visitors to the island in 2012 had reached more than 310,900persons, stunning growth of 31.26 percent from 2011’s figures.-VNA