Recent Announcements from Tourism Fiji

Periodically Tourism Fiji, the official tourism marketing arm of the Fiji Government, sends out bulletins. I've taken a few of their comments for your edification.

The first story is great news.I haven't been tracking tourism month by month but it's been tough slogging given the bad press that post coup Fiji has received. Tourism Fiji is doing the best it can and deserves credit for its marketing endeavors.

FIJI SETS NEW APRIL INTERNATIONAL VISITOR ARRIVAL RECORD

Keeping Fiji back on track for a record breaking year, the country’s international visitor arrival figures have continued to climb with figures released by Tourism Fiji for April 2010 showing a 13.2 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2009.

This result marks the highest ever visitor arrivals for the month of April in the history of Fiji tourism and Tourism Fiji is optimistic that if this trend continues the national tourism office numbers will surpass targets set for the year.
Fiji welcomed a total of 44,496 international visitors throughout the month compared with the 39,302 figure recorded for the same period in 2009.

The 44,496 figure represents Fiji’s strongest April performance since 2006 when it welcomed 42,860 international visitors.

The April result brings total numbers for the first four months of this year to 171,438 for the four-month period, that figure eclipsing the 2009 result of 139,642 by an impressive 22.8 per cent.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Manager Fiji, Ms Fane Vave at fvave@tourismfiji.com.fj

AIR PACIFIC RESUMES SUVA SERVICE

Air Pacific is to re-introduce international 737-700 services between Auckland and Suva (Nausori Airport) from Friday , 02 July with further service on Monday to be added from 02 August.

The service will operate ex-Auckland to Suva at 0800 hours, arriving in Suva at 1105. The flight will depart from Suva at 1215, arriving in Auckland at 1520.

The new Suva service will complement Air Pacific's existing Nadi-Auckland schedule of up to 13 weekly flights in addition to the weekly Nadi-Christchurch flight.

For further information, please visit www.airpacific.com

VUDA POINT SATURDAY NIGHT MARKET

A great way to meet the friendly locals, a fabulous place to eat and a great place to shop.

The Vuda Point ‘night markets’ come complete with live bands, fire dancing shows and a huge selection of ready to buy Fijian arts and crafts which are held at the picturesque port on the second Saturday of every month.

Goods on sale range from hand-made leather goods, jewelry, carvings, pottery. Entertainment ranges from live music and cultural displays to face painting, tarot card reading, massages and even haircuts.

The ‘night markets’ operate from midday to midnight.

For further information, please contact Mr. Tony Philp at jphilp@mac.com or visit www.vudapointmarina.com