On 27th November, the Consul General of the Republic of Fiji in Shanghai attended the 2019 Charter Flight Launch in Beijing. The launch event hosted by Tourism Fiji, Fiji Airways and CYTS marked the great achievements over the years during which charter flights have been providing enormous convenience for Chinese tourists travelling to Fiji during the Chinese Spring Festive. Senior officials attending the event included H.E. Fijian Ambassador to China Mr. Tagicakibau, Mr. Kang Mingguo, Chairman of the CYTS, Mr. Du Qiwen, special envoy of the China – Pacific Islands Dialogue, Mr. Zheng Rurui, Tourism Fiji Regional Manager Greater China, Mr. Zhao Qin, Tourism Fiji Trade Partnerships Manager Greater China and representatives of institutions and Media in Beijing.

As a part of the great efforts to continuously promote Fijian tourism in China, the charter flights which connect Chinese mainland tourists directly to Fiji during the Chinese Spring Festive has doubled in its shifts since 2015 and extended its services to Tianjin and Hangzhou to cater for different travel demands. Event on Tuesday not only came with the details on the flights but also greeted the audience with the passion and warmth from the South Pacific Islands in a cultural performance. As pointed out by Dr. Yok Yee Chan, Consul General of the Republic of Fiji in Shanghai, tourism is the pillar industry for Fiji, contributing to 32% of its GDP while employing 40,000 local people. In recent years, China has become one of the most rapidly growing sources of foreign tourists to Fiji’s tourism industry, increasing from 26,000 tourists to over 50,000 in the past five years. It is believed that the charter flight promotion will further boost this figure.

The charter flights this year will depart on 31st January and 2nd February both from Tianjin and Hangzhou. The charter flights also come with rich packages of accommodation and entertainment, catering to the demands of Chinese tourists.