TOURIST numbers from Fiji’s key source markets dipped in the first five months of 2025 and contributed to a one per cent annual contraction, the Reserve Bank of Fiji reported in its June Economic
Review released this week. While visitor arrivals grew in May, total visitor arrivals this year was trending downwards.
In May, a total of 86,587 visitors came to our shores, a 4.4per cent increase compared to the same month a year ago.
This, according to RBF, was driven by increased arrivals from the United States (23.7per cent increase), UK/Europe (31.9per cent) and Canada (26.9 per cent).
Arrivals from Australia and New Zealand, Fiji’s major source destinations, both declined by 2.7 per cent and 8.1per cent respectively, cushioned by increases in Pacific Island Countries (17.2 per cent) and US (11.10per cent).
Meanwhile, sectoral performances in the year to May were generally positive except for gold production, RBF stated.
“In the review period, mineral water production recorded a growth of six percent over the year, attributed to the completion of the capacity expansion project by a major producer since the beginning of this year.
“Similarly, cumulative to April, the timber industry noted strong growth (142.8per cent) in wood supply on the back of higher production of sawn timber (133.9per cent) and woodchips (82.0 per cent) boosted by increased demand.
“Likewise, mahogany production cumulative to May grew by 91.7 per cent, electricity production increased marginally (0.1 per cent) in the same period driven by the addition of more households (y-o-y: 1.6 per cent) onto the EFL grid.”
Gold, however, declined by 16.5 per cent in the first five months of this year, underpinned by continued weak output from the Vatukoula gold mine, according to RBF.
Note: This article was first published on the print version of the Fiji Times dated July 5, 2025
