15 Jan 2004

2003 Fiji tourist figures expected to be all time record

11:39 am on 15 January 2004

Fiji tourism officials are optimistic that visitor arrivals for last year will reach an all time record.

The previous highest figure of 410,000 was achieved in 1999, but the coup the following year caused a serious slump.

With the total for the first 11 months of last year reaching 393,000, officials are confident that when figures for the full year come in, they will exceed the 1999 record.

They are also expecting the number of tourists from New Zealand to reach a record 75,000, compared with 72,000 in 1999.