Fiji has achieved a record high in visitor arrivals for September, reaching 92,591 according to preliminary data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics. This figure represents a 2.4 percent increase compared to September 2022 and exceeds pre-pandemic numbers, being 13.8 percent higher than September 2019.
Despite this increase, visitor numbers saw a slight decrease from August 2023, which recorded 94,787 arrivals. Australia remained the primary source of visitors to Fiji, accounting for nearly half of all arrivals at 47.8 percent with 44,254 tourists. New Zealand followed with 22,625 visitors, representing 24.4 percent, while the United States contributed 7,923 visitors, or 8.6 percent. Other regions such as China, Continental Europe, Canada, and the UK comprised the remaining 8.1 percent of total visitors.
The majority of tourists arrived for holiday purposes, making up 81.6 percent of all visitors, with eight percent visiting friends or relatives. Business travel accounted for only two percent, and the remaining 8.4 percent were for other reasons.
In terms of demographics, visitors between the ages of 25 and 64 constituted 64.2 percent of total arrivals. Children under 14 accounted for 16.4 percent, while seniors aged 65 and over made up 10.3 percent. Young adults aged 15-24 represented 9.1 percent of arrivals. Notably, there were more women than men in several age categories, particularly among those aged 20-24 and 25-29.
On the other hand, 16,122 Fijian residents departed the country in September. A large portion, 92.2 percent, left for short-term absences of less than three months, primarily for holidays (54.1 percent) or to visit friends and relatives (35 percent). A smaller fraction, 5 percent, traveled for long-term absences of one year or more, mostly for employment, education, or emigration reasons.
Leave a comment