Fiji claws back the numbers

SYDNEY – Fiji enjoyed a record month for Australian visitors in July.

The 24,729 figure eclipsed the 21,550 visitors recorded for the same period in 2008.

Tourism Fiji regional director Australia Paresh Pant attributed the rise in numbers to targeted and timely marketing campaigns in Australia.

“Collectively our major wholesale partners report very steady Fiji business on a week on week basis which can be directly attributed to the timing of our campaigns,” he said.

The July figure brings Fiji’s Australian visitor tally for the year to 113,149, still 10.9 per cent down on the 127,057 figure achieved for the January – July period last year.

While almost 24 percent down in the first three months of the year, international visitor arrivals grew steadily in the last four months to reach 280,530 for the January-July period.

This figure represents an overall 15 percent drop on the total figure achieved in the first seven months of 2008.

The 13,168 arrivals in July from New Zealand was just 283 less than the record 13,451 achieved in July 2008.

Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said, “When you consider the effects the January floods had on our international visitor arrivals earlier in the year and the ongoing global recession, Fiji looks to be gathering strength for a very strong finish to the year.”