Fiji experienced a record high in visitor arrivals for September, totaling 92,591, as per provisional data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics. This figure represents a 2.4 percent increase from September 2023 and is 13.8 percent higher than the same month in 2019, indicating a recovery that exceeds pre-pandemic levels.
However, September saw a slight decrease from August 2024, which recorded 94,787 visitors. Australia remained the largest source of tourism for Fiji, contributing nearly half of the total arrivals at 44,254, or 47.8 percent. New Zealand ranked second with 22,625 visitors (24.4%), followed by the United States with 7,923 visitors (8.6%). Smaller contributions came from China, Continental Europe, Canada, and the UK, which together accounted for 8.1 percent of total visitors.
The majority of visitors came for holiday purposes, comprising 81.6 percent of total arrivals, while 8 percent visited friends or relatives. Business travel made up just 2 percent of arrivals, with the remaining 8.4 percent categorized as other reasons for travel.
In terms of demographics, the largest group of visitors, 64.2 percent, fell within the 25-64 age range. Children under 14 made up 16.4 percent of arrivals, while seniors aged 65 and older accounted for 10.3 percent. The youth demographic, aged 15-24, constituted 9.1 percent of total arrivals. Notably, there were more female visitors than male in specific age categories, particularly among those aged 20-24 and 25-29.
On the other side, 16,122 Fijian residents departed the country in September. A significant majority, 92.2 percent, were traveling for less than three months, primarily for holidays (54.1 percent) or to visit friends and relatives (35 percent). A smaller fraction, 5 percent, left for long-term absences of one year or more, with the main reasons being employment, education, or emigration.