Australian tourists

Australian bookings to Fiji soar

An Australian online media outlet said Australians were flooding hotel and airline sites for Fiji.

Fiji announced earlier this month it would be reopening its borders from December 1 to fully vaccinated Australians.

Other Australian island favourites such as Bali and Thailand are still to confirm when they might welcome tourists back.

The media outlet says it understands a number of hotels have had seen their booking records broken over the past week, with one resort recording AU$60,000 worth of bookings in a single day.

Vanuatu resort owner says harassment threatened lives

Hugh Lowe said a group of youths have been harrassing him for months causing over US$2 million worth of damage.

He said it started with an unsuccessful demand for money, the vandalism of trucks belonging to a Chinese construction firm working there, and the burning of five bungalows.

He said the group returned this week to finish the job, forcing him and around 21 Australian tourists to leave for the capital, Port Vila.