Badung, Bali (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Tourism said it is now prioritizing Asian markets as a short-term strategy amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.“For ASEAN, the top priorities are Malaysia and Singapore, followed by the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. Next is East Asia, including China, Japan, and South Korea, then Oceania with Australia and South Asia with India,” the ministry's Deputy for Marketing, Ni Made Ayu Marthini, said.At a press conference for the Bali & Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) 2026 here on Monday, she explained that shifting focus from long-haul markets like Europe and the U.S. to Asia aims to sustain tourism amid the crisis. This year, the ministry targets 16-17 million foreign arrivals after recording 15.4 million in 2025.“We have a target and calculated how to achieve it. The target share from the U.S. and Europe is redirected to Asia, including budget adjustments. Everything must be calculated to meet the target,” she said.The ministry is optimistic the short-term strategy will benefit tourism, noting that global conditions require flexibility to prevent impacts in coming years.“If asked if we are confident, we must be. Confidence is key in the tourism industry, but it must be realistic, based on data, flight impacts, and rising ticket and airplane fuel prices. That’s why we have short-, medium-, and long-term strategies,” she explained.While prioritizing Asia, long-haul markets like Europe and the U.S. are maintained without adjusting targets.She acknowledged that the Middle East conflict, a key transit hub for European tourists to Indonesia, especially Bali, may cause cancellations.Connectivity remains a challenge, so the ministry continues coordinating with the Ministry of Transportation to expand routes and promote them to neighboring countries.