Joy as Fiji reopens borders to international tourists

Traditional dancers in grass skirts welcomed waving holidaymakers as Fiji opened its borders to international travellers Wednesday for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe and devastated its tourism-reliant economy.

Fiji Airways flight FJ914 arrived a Nadi airport from Sydney at 11.40am (2340 Tuesday GMT), ending 615 days of international isolation for the Pacific island nation.

As the plane taxied down the runway, two fire engines lined up and aimed their hoses in the air to honour it with a water salute.

Inside the terminal, face coverings obscured the beaming smiles of tourism operators but cries of "bula" (hello) and indigenous songs of celebration reverberated around the building.

Fiji Airways chief executive Andre Viljoen said it was a "momentous" occasion after a tough 20 months for the tropical destination, where tourism accounts for about 40 percent of the economy.

"The international border reopening will reignite Fiji's economy," he told reporters.

Viljoen said strict health measures were in place to contain Covid-19 and the recent emergence of the Omicron variant had not deterred passengers.

"Flights are coming in at full capacity," he said.

Fiji has tightened restrictions on arrivals from southern Africa but made no changes to rules surrounding "travel partner" countries, whose citizens can now experience a tropical getaway in the Pacific idyll.

They include Japan, New Zealand, the United States and France, as well as countries where Omicron has been detected such as Australia, Canada and Britain.

Tourism Fiji chief executive Brent Hill said resorts on the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu were gearing up for an influx of foreign travellers.