Hotels and resorts in the country are feeling the pinch of the Coronavirus outbreak as many bookings have been cancelled in the recent week.

While it is not the peak tourism season for Fiji, the hoteliers say during the slower months they mostly rely on Asian visitors.

Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association Chief Executive Fantasha Lockington says Chinese nationals travel a lot during this time of the year to celebrate the Chinese New Year, but this has been affected due to the deadly outbreak.

“We have advised them that because the group travel out of China has been curtailed, we are seeing cancellation of a booking of flights as well as hotel accommodation and the activities.”

Lockington fears the current global crisis will have adverse effects on Fiji.

“This is the low season so any bookings we get is much appreciated so this will have an impact. For the long term this will have a more widespread economic impact on Fiji as more countries start to close their borders and as more airlines start to consider reducing or stopping flights to and from china.”

Earlier yesterday, the South Pacific Tourism Organization also urged all industry stakeholders to keep abreast of the latest developments and advisories in relation to the coronavirus outbreak.