Fiji has achieved a record number of visitor arrivals for September, totaling 92,591, according to provisional data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics. This figure indicates a 2.4 percent increase compared to September 2022 and exceeds pre-pandemic levels, being 13.8 percent higher than September 2019.
However, the number of visitors decreased slightly compared to August 2024, which recorded 94,787 arrivals. Australia remained the largest source of visitors, contributing nearly half of the total arrivals at 47.8 percent, with 44,254 tourists. Following Australia was New Zealand with 22,625 visitors (24.4%), and the United States with 7,923 visitors (8.6%). Other regions, including China, Continental Europe, Canada, and the UK, accounted for a combined 8.1 percent of the total visitor market.
Among the tourists, those arriving for vacation purposes dominated the statistics, making up 81.6 percent of all visitors. Eight percent of arrivals were to visit friends or relatives, while business travel constituted just two percent. The remaining 8.4 percent traveled for other reasons.
In terms of demographics, most visitors fell within the 25-64 age range, accounting for 64.2 percent of total arrivals. Children under 14 represented 16.4 percent, while seniors aged 65 and older made up 10.3 percent. The youth demographic, aged 15-24, represented 9.1 percent of arrivals. Gender disparities were observed in specific age groups, with more women visiting than men, particularly in the 20-24 and 25-29 age brackets.
In September, 16,122 Fijian residents departed from the country, with the majority (92.2 percent) leaving for short-term trips of less than three months, mainly for vacations (54.1 percent) or to visit friends and relatives (35 percent). A smaller percentage (5 percent) left for longer-term absences of one year or more, citing employment, education, or emigration as their primary reasons for departure.