SUVA, Fiji Islands (July 24, 2000 ‹ Radio Australia)---South Pacific tourism
operators say the political crises in Fiji and the Solomon Islands have
turned many tourists off holidaying in the region.
The South Pacific Tourism Organization says up to one million tourists visit
the South Pacific islands each year, but the overthrow of two governments
since May has painted the entire region as unstable.
Organization vice chairman Francis Mortimer says in Fiji the flow of inbound
tourists has slumped to 450 per day from an average 4,000 a day before the
nation's political crisis erupted nine weeks ago.
The Fiji tourism industry puts lost revenue so far at $150 million, with
20,000 staff losing their jobs since the May 19th coup.
The much smaller tourism sector in the Solomons has ground to a halt since
ethnic fighting spilled into the capital of Honiara.
Most major countries, including the United States and Britain, have warned
citizens against visiting the two countries.
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