BPS Records Tourist Visit To Batam 2024 Reaches 707,962 People, Most From Malaysia

JAKARTA - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Batam City, Riau Islands noted that foreign tourist visits (tourists) to Batam in January-July 2024 reached 707,962 visits.

Head of Batam City BPS Eko Aprianto in Batam, Saturday said that in July 2024 there were 101,099 foreign tourists visiting Batam.

"This figure decreased by 23.01 percent compared to the previous month which reached 131,313 visits. When compared to July 2023, the number of foreign tourists visiting Batam increased by 6.35 percent," said Eko as quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, September 7.

Eko explained that foreign tourists from Singapore dominated foreign tourists visiting in July 2024, which was 49,234 visits or 64.78 percent of the total number of foreign tourists.

Then, followed by foreign tourists from Malaysia as many as 23,021 visits, China 4,019 visits, India 3,049 visits and Philipina 2,063 visits.

"Tourists from Singapore experienced a significant decline of 72.05 percent compared to the previous month which reached 77,430 visits," he said.

He said the decrease in foreign tourist visits was recorded at several entrances to foreign tourists to Batam City, namely through Ferry Batam Center Port, Nongsa Pura Port, Ferry Harborbay Port, Sekupang International Port and Hang Nadim International Airport.

The decrease in the number of foreign tourist visits also had an impact on the room occupancy rate (TPK) of five-star hotels in Riau Islands Province in July 2024 with an average of 52.36 percent or a decrease of 12.42 points compared to the TPK in June 2024 of 64.78 percent.

"This figure is also 4.00 points lower than the national TPK of star hotels, where the national average TPK is 56.36 percent," said Eko.