Fiji’s visa-free policy and the increase in direct flights from China have significantly boosted its appeal, leading to a surge in Chinese visitors and a vibrant tourism boom.
According to data from the Fiji Tourism Bureau, as of the first quarter of 2024, the number of visitors to Fiji has increased eleven percent compared to the same period in 2023 – of which 77 percent are tourists. Australia, New Zealand and China remain its main tourist source countries.
"Fiji has good air quality, mesmerizing coral reefs and activities like sea fishing and underwater diving. These are what attract me the most," said Xu Yuhan, a Chinese tourist.
Currently, the island nation is experiencing an increase in visitors due to favorable policies that have attracted the attention of Chinese travelers.
"Fiji was among the first destinations when China resumed outbound group tours in 2023. With the increase in direct flights between China and Fiji, the number of Chinese tourists in Fiji and other Pacific Island nations has doubled in 2024, so far," said Liu Jie, assistant to the president of tour company CYTS Aoyou Technology Development.
Liu said the relaxation of visa policies has also unleashed the potential of Chinese tourism.
"Fiji’s visa-free policy allows Chinese visitors to start a trip at any time. With its unique culture and well-equipped hotels, Fiji is a destination for high-end tourism," she added.
Fiji’s visa-free policy attracts Chinese tourists, sparking to tourism boom
President Xi Jinping's participation in the 2024 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, the 19th G20 Summit, and his recently concluded state visits to Peru and Brazil will usher in a new chapter of South-South cooperation, experts said.
Xi returned to Beijing on Saturday following an 11-day, two-nation tour of Latin America.
At the 19th G20 Summit in Lima, Peru, Xi called for building a world economy characterized by cooperation, stability, openness, innovation, and eco-friendliness. This is widely seen as a reflection of China's strong commitment to fostering a fair and equitable global governance system.
Xi summarized the reasons behind the 'Asia-Pacific Miracle' and urged Asia-Pacific economies to uphold true multilateralism, build an open and integrated cooperation framework, foster green and innovative growth momentum, and embrace a universally beneficial and inclusive development concept. "President Xi stressed the importance of creating an open and integrated Asia-Pacific cooperation pattern. This reflects a commitment to the openness and inclusiveness of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, ensuring it is open to all economies. On the other hand, on the momentum of green innovation cooperation, President Xi has made many profound expositions on integrating green innovation, a trend of our times, with the shift toward digitalization and intelligence. Lastly, he emphasized establishing a concept of universally beneficial and inclusive development. This aligns closely with the new development concepts of innovation, coordination, greenness, openness and sharing that we advocate in China," director of the Department for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.
During Xi's state visit to Peru, the two heads of state attended the opening ceremony of Chancay Port via video link. As a flagship project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Peru, the port is the first smart and green port in South America, significantly reducing transoceanic shipping times. Meanwhile, the port is the starting point for a new land-sea corridor connecting Asia and Latin America, fostering a three-dimensional, diversified, and efficient interconnection framework.
"The shipping time from the Chancay Port to Shanghai, China, is just 23 days, significantly reducing maritime shipping time. Meanwhile, we see that neighboring countries, including Brazil and Chile, have begun planning road network connections with the Chancay Port. This will allow Peru to play a very important role in the region in the future. Furthermore, this new shipping route not only diversifies trade between China and Peru but also creates greater opportunities for trade diversification between China and Latin America as a whole," said Yue Yunxia, deputy director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
During Xi's state visit to Brazil, the two heads of state announced elevating their bilateral relationship to a China-Brazil community with a shared future, aimed at fostering a more just world and a more sustainable planet.
"I think the important thing is that it provides a new model for China-Latin America relations, which will likely play a leading role for China and the entire Latin American region in the future. Moreover, I think the collaboration between China and Brazil will undoubtedly drive the trend of unity among developing countries, particularly those in the Global South. On a global scale, this cooperation between China and Brazil will certainly accelerate the overall rise of developing countries," said Sun Yanfeng, executive director of the Institute of Latin American Studies at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
Xi's Latin America trip opens up new chapter of South-South cooperation: experts
