22 May 2019

More visitors in Pacific in 2018: SPTO

10:28 am on 22 May 2019

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation says 2.14 million people visited the Pacific last year - a two percent increase on 2017.

Anse Vata beach in Noumea

Anse Vata beach in Noumea Photo: RNZ Walter Zweifel

The organisation released its inaugural Pacific Tourism Forecast this week which showed about 40,000 more visitors arrived in the region last year - 38,941 more than 2017.

It attributed the growth to a positive global tourism trend, regional and national tourism marketing, improved connectivity and infrastructure development.

The organisation said it expects tourist numbers will grow by 3.3 percent in 2019 and each year until 2024.

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