(1/19/2008) Tempo Interaktif reports that the Provincial Government of Bali will spend Rp. 5 billion (US$538,000) on tourism promotion from a total tourism budget of Rp. 11 billion (US$1.18 million) for the Island.

The Head of the Bali Tourism Authority, Gde Nurjaya told Tempo that Bali is targeting 1.9 foreign visitors in 2008, explaining, "that is a realistic figure because last year the number of foreign tourists hit 1.6 million."

The 2007 figures represented a marked improvement from 2006 when 1.2 million (Editor: 1.26 million) foreign visitors came to Bali.

In order to reach the 1.9 million target for Bali for 2008, Bali's tourism promotion program will include participation in overseas travel marts, promotional publications, inviting foreign journalists to Bali and support of the Visit Indonesia Year 2008 program being conducted by the National government. In all, the Bali Tourism Authority is preparing 18 separate promotional activities for the current year.

The Coordinator of the Bali Tourism Board (BTB), Ngurah Wijaya, has called on the government to repair Bali's tourism objects and general infrastructure. "The objects (tourism) managed by the people and the government continue to decline in quality," said Wijaya. To further make his point Wijaya pointed to the Kuta area of Bali which he feels in becoming increasingly chaotic and dirty, despite that area's iconic role in Bali tourism.

Ngurah Wijaya said the condition of Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport and public roads across the island demonstrate the need for more attention to be paid to the Island's infrastructure.