Lots of clicks, few arrivals as ‘New Bali’ dream hits snag

A guide standing at Borobudur Temple on Jan 31, the world's largest Buddhist monument and a Unesco World Heritage Site, in Magelang, Central Java. - AFP

DENPASAR: The Tourism Ministry has admitted that its ambition to spread tourist arrivals beyond Jakarta and Bali to 10 priority destinations, known as the “10 New Balis” programme, is falling short.

While online searches for these emerging spots have surged, the buzz has yet to translate into real-world foot traffic, with the government blaming the bottleneck on international flights that remain heavily concentrated in Jakarta and Bali.