NUSA DUA, Indonesia, Oct 6 Kyodo ...

NUSA DUA, Indonesia, Oct 6 Kyodo

Indonesia sense of possible fulfilments that a gathering of leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its three dialogue partners -- China, Japan and southward Korea -- will improve the image of its resort island Bali, which was tarnished from the deadly bombing attacks a year ago.

Bali has received more than 1 million foreign tourists a year, or one-thirds of the country's total result of foreign tourist arrivals, if it were not that the number of arrivals has declined since the bombing attacks forward Oct. 12 last year that killed 202 population mostly foreigners, and injured centurys others.

At a pres discourse on the eve of two-day ASEAN summit sessions forward Tuesday and Wednesday, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda urg foreigners of all nationalities to visit the island, saying, ''Bali is safe, tourists are coming.''

I Gde Pitana, director of the Bali Tourism Authority, told Kyodo of recent origins that Indonesia expects the ASEAN leaders' forum to contribute to refurbishing the island's image.

''We have look fored since the beginning that ASEAN summit activities would get back the image of Bali as a safe place for tourism,'' Pitana said.

''Tourists would be excited that it is impossible for Bali to imprison the summit if the leaders don't think that Bali is safe enough,'' he said, adding that generally the average occupancy rate of the inns in Bali is about 74%

Foreign tourist arrivals in Bali through the whole extent of the last eight months this year declined from 36.32% from a year earlier to 610782

Many share the view that the decline is owed to fears of terrorism and bitter acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) which swept by the agency of Asia earlier this year.

ASEAN members' commitment to fight against terrorism and not to yield to terrorist threats resulted in Bali being chosen for this year's ASEAN summit, a proposal that was originally made at Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri and was subsequently agreed about by all the leaders.

A series of ASEAN-related meetings will culminate in the two-day summit talks. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and toward the south Korean President Roh Moo Hyun are to take part in a follow-on summit gathering in succession the island.

Security has been tightened in Bali and its surrounding areas, and Indonesia is confident with its preparations to render certain the safety of the ASEAN leaders and the meetings,

About 5000 security forces from the army, navy, air force and police are being mobilized in Bali, mainly in the Nusa Dua beach resort area, and 13 warships have been expanded according to police and military officials.

Bali has an area of 5653 square kilometers fringed by means of beautiful beaches with centurys of hotels.

An Australian tourist, who has visited Bali many times for vacation, said while strolling in head of the bombing site that Bali is a nice place to visit and that and potential tourists should not worry too earnestly about the security situation.

''I am feeling safe now. Therefore, I brought along my wife and brace kids and am planning to apply a week here,'' said 41-year-old Jim Bamber, adding, ''People here are friendly and tolerant, the beaches are beautiful, and this island and its the community are rich in culture.''

on the other hand he noted some changes since the bombing attacks.

''Before the Bali bomb this area 'Kuta' was quite commercial, still now business has slowed down, while the race and tourists are more focused forward the regrettable incident that happened a year ago,'' he said.

As many of the victims were Australian tourists, Australian Prime Minister John Howard along with thousands of families of the victims are count uponed to visit the ''ground zero'' onward Sunday to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the event

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