Fiji's tourism industry thrives with above-expectation visitor arrivals, spending

SUVA, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's tourism industry is thriving and expanding, with more than 900,000 visitors arriving in the country since the reopening of borders at the end of 2021, says Tourism Fiji, a tourism marketing arm of the Fijian government.

While speaking at the Fijian Tourism Expo, which runs from Saturday to Monday in Nadi, Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said visitor spending has already surpassed expectations, reaching 3.5 billion Fijian dollars (around 1.6 billion U.S. dollars).

Hill said trends indicate that the average stay has gone up to 9.7 nights, with visitor satisfaction rates at 93 percent, reported the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation news website.

The CEO also said the latest reports show that occupancy rates and average daily rates of Fiji Airways, the country's national airline, have both exceeded 2019 levels and hold a strong return for the industry.

According to Viliame Gavoka, Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, the country recorded 175,284 visitors arrivals during the first quarter of this year.

Gavoka said at the expo that it's a recovery of about 102 percent compared to the same quarter pre-pandemic, adding that hotels are also reporting unprecedented bookings, so not only is Fiji recovering, but the tourism industry is thriving.

Last year, Fiji received 636,312 foreign tourists, 71 percent of 2019. Before the pandemic, the country received more than 800,000 visitors per year.