Tourists arriving at Nadi International Airport. [File Photo]

The provisional direct tourism value added for 2020 was $38.5 million, or 0.5 percent of total gross value added.

The Fiji Bureau of Statistics says in its latest release that a decrease of 96.6 percent was noted in the direct tourism value added when compared to a four percent decline in 2019.

It says the closure of international borders, lower tourist arrivals, and other restrictions due to COVID-19 led to the decline in the value added and overall negative growth for 2020.

Fiji closed in December 2020 and reopened in December of last year.