Japan is surpassing the United States in flight searches to Fiji, according to Tourism Fiji. Additionally, India has emerged as one of the top countries experiencing increased flight inquiries.
Traditional partners Australia and New Zealand are still leading the list of countries searching for flights to Fiji. Brent Hill, the CEO of Tourism Fiji, noted that it is encouraging to see countries like Japan making strides in search rankings, reflecting a growing interest among Japanese tourists in traveling to Fiji and exploring what the destination has to offer.
Hill stated that the occupancy rates remain robust, with July expected to be another strong month. He emphasized that forward bookings indicate solid numbers for the coming months. Australia, New Zealand, and the United States continue to be the three largest markets for Fiji travel.
He acknowledged a predicted downturn in interest from New Zealand due to various economic challenges such as inflation and high interest rates, but overall figures from this market are still holding steady.
Recent statistics indicate a growth in flight searches from Australia (up 1.9%) and India (up 0.6%), while there was a slight decline in searches from New Zealand (down 1.2%) and Japan (down 0.4%).
In terms of accommodation, Fiji recorded an average occupancy of 86% in July, with forward bookings suggesting an average occupancy of 79% for August and 66% for October. The leading countries searching for accommodations are Australia (35%), New Zealand (31%), and the United States (9.6%). There has been a slight decrease in accommodation searches originating from Canada (down 1.0%) and New Zealand (down 0.9%).