Sayed-Khaiyum, made the remarks while releasing the latest tourist arrival figures at a press conference in the capital Suva.
“For the first time in Fiji’s history, ever for the month of April, we surpassed 50,000 visitor arrivals. We have had 55,043 arrivals,” Sayed-Khaiyum said, adding that there is a 50 percent increase in Chinese visitors to Fiji in April alone.
According to Sayed-Khaiyum, “it has now exceeded the 2010 mark by a whopping 23.7 percent. So we have 10,547 more visitors for April 2011 when compared to 2010.”
Australia continues to be the leading source of visitors increasing its numbers by 9.4 percent, New Zealand by 5.5 percent, Europe continental by 6.9 percent, China by 50 percent, China’s Taiwan by 28 percent and Pacific island countries by 23.1 percent.
However, “we have had decreases from the United States of America by 0.3 percent, South Korea by 24 percent and Japan by 14 percent,” said Sayed-Khaiyum.
