03 March 2010

What a difference a year makes for Fiji

SYDNEY - Fiji launched into 2010 with a 37.6 per cent jump in international visitor arrivals - the best figures the destination has recorded for the start to a new year’s business since 2008.

Figures released by Tourism Fiji for January 2010 show the destination attracted a total of 45,362 international visitors in January, a more than 9000 increase over the 32,955 recorded for the same period in 2009.

The result contrasts sharply with the massive drop the destination experienced in January 2009 following heavy flooding.

Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said, "In 12 months we have gone from one extreme to another. Last year we posted our worse ever figures for a January period in recent times - today we are posting one of our best ever," he said.

The Australian arrival result was one of the highlights with a total of 21,586 Australians visiting for the month. This represents a 65.2 per cent jump over the 13,070 visitor arrivals recorded for the same period in 2009.

New Zealand also registered a strong performance with Kiwi visitor arrivals climbing 49.8 per cent to reach 4801 compared to the 3206 figure achieved last year and in the process setting another January record.

Traffic from the UK/Europe increased by 22 percent while Fiji’s US business for the period showed good growth with a 4.1 percent increase.