70,324 visitor arrivals in January

By MONIKA SINGH

FIJI received 70,324 visitors in January this year, an increase of 4.2 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Provisional statistics released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics show that visitor arrival levels in January this year is 7.6 per cent higher than the pre-COVID era in January 2020.

However according to the bureau, the number of arrivals in January is a decrease of 15.1 per cent when compared with the 82,820 visitors from December 2023.

Of the 70,324 visitors, 70,191 came by air while 133 arrivals 74 were mostly seaman on fishing vessels and 59 arrived by yachts.

A total of 79.1 per cent of the total arrivals were on holiday, 5.6 per cent came to visit friends and relatives, 1.7 per cent for business purposes while 13.6 per cent visited for other reasons.

Statistics also revealed that 60.7 per cent of visitors were in the age range of 25-64 years, which accounts for the vast majority of the working age population.

While children aged 14 and below made up 18.7 per cent of the visitor arrivals in January, 12 per cent were youths aged 15.24.

The remaining 8.6 per cent comprised those in the predominantly retirement age group of 65 and over.

Australia and New Zealand remain the major source markets for Fiji with 34,671 visitors and 14,834 arriving from both countries respectively.

These countries, including the USA, China, Continental Europe, Canada and the Great Britain accounted for 90.5 per cent of the total visitor arrivals for January 2024.

Compared with the number of arrivals, 19,224 Fiji residents departed our shores during January.

Out of the total 16,659 left the country for a short-term absence of under three months while 781 were for more than three months and within 12 months period.

According to the bureau 1784 of resident departures were for a longer-term absence of 1 year or more.

The reasons for departure as reported by residents leaving for a short-term absence were as follows;

• Holiday – 59.9 per cent
• Visiting Friends or Relatives – 30.7 per cent
• Business – 6.1 per cent
• Employment – 1.3 per cent
• Others – 1.0 per cent
• Education/Training – 0.9 per cent.

Figure 1 shows visitor arrivals for the month of January 2020 to 2024. Source: FIJI BUREAU OF STATISTICS