Medan (ANTARA) – The North Sumatra Central Statistics Agency (BPS) recorded an increase in the number of foreign tourists from France and the Netherlands in April 2026 compared to the previous month.”Foreign tourists from Europe, particularly the Netherlands and France, increased significantly in April 2026,” Head of the North Sumatra BPS, Asim Saputra, said in Medan on Tuesday.He stated that in April, there were 496 tourists from France and 587 from the Netherlands, increased from 218 and 253 tourists, respectively, in March 2026.He said the total number of foreign tourist visits to North Sumatra in April reached 24,815, an increase of 0.87 percent compared to the previous month and 24.40 percent higher than in the same period in 2025.”This increase proves that North Sumatra's tourism destinations remain attractive to international tourists,” he said.According to him, Malaysian tourists still dominate visits to North Sumatra, accounting for 52.43 percent of total foreign tourists. It was followed by Singaporeans at 5.01 percent, China at 4.36 percent, and the Netherlands at 2.37 percent.The room occupancy rate (TPK) of star-rated hotels in North Sumatra also increased in April, rising by 0.43 percent compared to the previous month and by 1.91 percent year-on-year.It was recorded that the TPK of five-star hotels in April reached 58.41 percent, up from 53.22 percent in March.The TPK of four-star hotels was recorded at 47.50 percent, relatively unchanged from the previous month. Meanwhile, the TPK of three-star hotels reached 36.29 percent, up from 36.19 percent in March.