Indonesia AirAsia has added a new international route by inaugurating the Denpasar, Bali to Phuket route, connecting two iconic tourist destinations in Southeast Asia on Saturday (10/8/24) according to reporting from Antara News.
“This flight is the sixth Indonesia AirAsia international route operating from the Denpasar hub and the fourth international route inaugurated this year,” said President Director of Indonesia AirAsia, Veranita Yosephine Sinaga in a written statement, on Sunday (11/8/24.)
With this new route, said Veranita, Indonesia AirAsia is further strengthening its position in the ASEAN aviation market. Bali, an Indonesian tourist destination known for its natural beauty and distinctive culture, is like Phuket in Thailand, which is also a favorite for tourists to enjoy a tropical vacation adding that “We want to provide a unique experience for travelers to enjoy two destinations that have similar attractions with different cultures.”
Antara News reports that Indonesia AirAsia is now focusing on opening international routes and will begin operations in August this year. These routes will connect to ASEAN countries such as Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia.
“Therefore, through the inauguration of this flight, we hope to get positive support from the community, business people and relevant authorities to realize our common plan to boost Indonesia’s tourism and economy through foreign tourist visits and expansion of connectivity, especially around Asia,” Veranita said.
The inaugural flight QZ 246 flew from Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport at 16:00 WITA (Central Indonesian Time) carrying 161 passengers and arrived at Phuket International Airport at 18:40 local time, according to Antara News adding that the inauguration was also symbolically carried out by the gamelan, a Balinese musical instrument and distributing merchandise to all passengers. Indonesia AirAsia serves this route three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Although Bali is a favorite holiday destination for foreign tourists, Indonesia still has so many interesting destinations for Thai people to visit such as Labuan Bajo and Komodo Island; home to Komodo Dragons, Tanjung Setia Surf Beach in Lampung, the world’s largest volcanic lake in Lake Toba, North Sumatra and the New Capital City of Indonesia, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan, says Antara News.
On the other hand, tourists from Bali can also enjoy the beauty of Phuket by visiting Phuket Old Town, Banana Beach, Koh Hey, Hanuman World Phuket, Carnival Magic and the Big Buddha Temple as well as beaches that offer views of clear blue sea and white sand beaches.
According to Antara News, data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, foreign tourists from Thailand have increased quite significantly. In 2023, the number of Thai tourists increased by 82.88 percent or 111,786 visits, compared to 2022 which only reached 61,128 visits. Meanwhile, until March 2024, hotel revenue in Bali also increased with the occupancy rate of starred hotel rooms reaching 52.71 percent, which is an increase of 12.70 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
Source: Antara News
