Fiji Plans to Renovate International Airport to Attract Tourists

A major facelift is planned for Fiji 's Nadi International Airport to make it a modern airport that caters for tourists flocking to the country.

New designs are expected to transform the airport in the coming months to attract travelers the world over, Fijian Minister for Aviation Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told media on Sunday, adding that the profit of the Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) will be centered on this capital development.

"The AFL as you know made a net profit of 12 million Fiji dollars (6.85 million U.S. dollars) of which they gave the government a dividend of 1 million Fiji dollars (0.57 million U.S. dollars) so there is some internal capacity within the AFL to do the expansion and to be able to carry out the project from the funding through their own resources," says Sayed-Khaiyum.

The Nadi International Airport is Fiji's main airport gateway which handles 96 percent of the total annual international passengers and 30 international scheduled flights on a daily basis. The AFL manages and operates this key port of Fiji.

Nadi is located on the west side of Fiji's main island of Viti Levu. It is the tourism hub of Fiji and has a wide variety of resorts, activities, shopping and entertainment centers. The blend of Fijian, Western and cosmopolitan cultures offers a unique lifestyle attractive to tourists and locals alike.

The tourism sector in Fiji has contributed significantly to the country's economy and is Fiji's fastest growing industry in terms of employment creation and foreign exchange earnings, which provides employment directly and indirectly to an estimated 45,000 people in the hub of the Pacific. It is mainly private sector driven and contributes approximately 25 percent to the island nation's gross domestic product.

Sourced: english.cri