JAKARTA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in Indonesia's resort island of Bali are making preparations to welcome Chinese tourists during the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, an official said.
Head of Indonesia's Bali provincial tourism office Agung Yuniarta said measures aimed at assuring security and safety for Chinese tourists have been carried out by the local authorities.
"These measures were intended to make Chinese tourists comfortable during their stay to celebrate the Lunar New Year here," Agung said in a statement released on Monday.
He added that facilities to welcome tourists to take part in the New Year's Eve celebrations in Bali have also been set in all access to Bali, including in the airport and seaports.
He said the seaports in Gilimanuk and Padang Bai would facilitate domestic tourists to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year's Eve from neighboring islands of Java and Lombok.
"Bali remained a favorite place to spend the Chinese New Year holiday for local and foreign tourists, which this year would be dominated from China," Agung added.
Director of Greater China Marketing Development at the Indonesian Tourism Ministry Vincensius Jemadu said earlier that some 1,500 Chinese tourists would come to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Bali.
The upcoming New Year celebration event in Bali is supported by the ministry and Chinese Consulate General in Bali.
Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said it proves that Bali is still the irreplaceable destination among international tourists with its natural beauties and various marine attractions, coupled with its cultural and traditional attractions.
Indonesian authorities have downgraded the alert status for Mount Agung volcano on the island from the highest alert to standby last week following receding volcanic activities.
The authorities also shrank the dangerous area radius from 6 to 4 km from the volcano summit due to the developing situation.
The eruption of the volcano since last September has tarnished the island's main sector, leaving those in the tourism business living in despair.
