Figures released by Tourism Fiji this week show the destination welcomed a total of 53,138 international visitors in October 2009, a 7.2 per cent increase on the 49,586 achieved for the same period in 2008.
Mr Josefa Tuamoto, Tourism Fiji CEO, said the growth from the newer markets had been proved extremely positive and in particular from China where visitor arrivals jumped by 14.4 per cent compared with the same period of last year from 8842 to 10,114.
Until now Fiji has the largest market share of Chinese visitors compared to the neighboring Pacific island countries. China has been the fastest growing countries for Fiji inbound travel market.
The 27,531 Australians visiting in October 2009 result brings Fiji’s Australian visitor tally for the year to 189,603, now just 2.3 per cent down on the 194,063 figure achieved for the January – October period last year.
Figures ex-New Zealand continued to rebuild with more than 8800 Kiwis visiting Fijin in October 2009.