Solomon Islands has recorded a significant jump in visitor numbers in the first quarter of this year.
The Solomon Star reports that new Pacific Blue flights from Brisbane and increased awareness in the Australian market through marketing have seen a 44 per cent increase in visitor arrivals compared with the corresponding period in 2008.
Visitor arrivals by air passed the 4,200 mark compared with just under 3,000 in the first quarter of 2008.
Business traveller numbers were up 34 per cent.
The Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau general manager, Michael Tokuru, says the additional visitors were primarily from Australia, which provides about half of all visitors to the Solomons.
Over the past 12 months, the Visitors Bureau has undertaken a marketing campaign in Australia that's resulted in unprecedented levels of editorial coverage there.
