Tourists arriving into the country at Nadi airport. [File Photo]

More than 48,000 people have visited Fiji for the first quarter of this year.

This is a welcome number as our borders remained shut for two years and only opening up in December last year.

Tourism Minister, Faiyaz Koya says a total of 48,906 international visitors came into Fiji compared to 4223 compared to the same quarter last year.

“What this figure tells us we are on track to regaining a portion of our market share and already capturing approximately 30-35 per cent of the 2019 numbers.”

Koya says since the reopening of Fiji’s borders in December last year, Fiji has welcomed over 72,132 visitors in total.

He says the number of visitors to Fiji is expected to increase in the coming months following the move to ease COVID-19 restrictions.