JAKARTA -- The number of foreign tourist arrivals to Indonesia rose 14.45% in April from a year earlier, accelerating from the 8.96% pace a month before, the statistics bureau said on Wednesday.
Some 811,233 foreign tourists visited Indonesia in April, compared with 806,118 in March, the bureau said.
The total number of foreigners visiting the country, including those passing through Indonesia's borders from neighbouring countries and foreign workers with permits for less than year, was 901,095 in April, it said.
Indonesia's government wants to expand the tourism sector to help reduce the country's reliance on exporting raw commodities.
Indonesia aims to attract 20 million foreign visitors a year by 2019, more than double the 9.73 million recorded last year.
As part of efforts to grow the sector, the government has allowed for greater foreign ownership in tourism-related businesses.