Indonesia's Bali export to U.S. reaches 79 mln USD

JAKARTA, Dec. 24 -- The export from Indonesia's tourist destination island of Bali to the United States has reached 79 million U.S. dollars from January to October this year, or contributed 19.2 percent of its total export in that period, the Antara news agency reported on Thursday.

Wayan Kusumawathi, Head of Bali Foreign Trade at the Provincial Administration, said that despite the ongoing global financial crisis that hit the United States, demands on Balinese handicrafts, households designed with traditional Balinese art and traditional garments remain high.

In term of non-oil and gas goods, Wayan said that Bali is still a big exporter to the United States. She added that most of Bali's non-oil and gas goods exports went to the United States.

Besides handicrafts and garments, Bali also exports vanilla, coffee beans and tuna to the country's market, she said.

Wayan said that Balinese handicrafts and household goods have been favorite commodities in foreign markets like in the United States and European countries.

She said that Balinese products offer high quality, embedded with highly crafted arts in each of their designs and are sold at relatively low prices.

Besides well known as one of the best tourist destination place, Bali has been designated by the government as a center of Indonesia's creative products.