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Antoine Maria (left) with his wife Caroline Maria (right) along with his kids Charles and Victoire Maria in their traditional Japanese Attire after checking inn the inaugural Narita flight to Japan at Nadi International Airport yesterday. Picture: BALJEET SINGH

Visitors from Japan spent almost $47 million in Fiji in 2019. This figure was released by Tourism Fiji yesterday after the resumption of the Narita-Nadi direct flight.

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said Japan was one of Fiji’s top 10 markets in terms of visitor arrivals post pandemic and tourism stakeholders were committed to maintaining that position.

“Our warm weather and warm culture provide the perfect backdrop for swimming, snorkeling, and connecting in a sustainable way,” Mr Hill said.

“And with the Japanese Yen going a long way, our visitor’s vacation in a beautiful luxury Fijian hotel is more affordable and memorable.

“Tourism is growing in value in Fiji, with approximately 65 per cent of that value remaining in Fiji.”

Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka also indicated that Japan had always been an important market for Fiji and the government was confident that the resumption of flights from Japan would bear a positive impact on the local economy – not only on tourism, but on trade and investments.

“We are committed to ensuring that our visitors have a memorable stay and will continue to work closely with our industry partners to ensure that Fiji remains a top destination for international travelers.”

Fiji Airways resume direct flights to Narita, Japan after a three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, re-establishing its linkages to its Asian market.

Tourism Fiji also indicated that this move signals Fiji’s commitment to strengthening its ties with the Japanese market, which has always been a vital player in Fiji’s tourism growth trajectory.

Meanwhile, the Nadi International Airport was abuzz with activities as about 150 passengers disembarked from the Narita-Nadi flight on Tuesday.