KOROR, Palau (3 Jun 2009) — Tourism officials in Palau blamed the global economic recession and the swine flu for continuing declines in tourist arrivals. The Palau Visitors Authority said the total number of visitors in April was 5,329, a decline of almost 20 percent compared to April 2008 when 6,623 tourists visited Palau Compared to the previous month, tourist arrivals were down almost 12 percent. PVA Marketing Manager, Yumie Morishita, said Palau's tourism industry is expected to struggle through the end of the year. Visitor arrivals usually peak in December, January and February because of the Chinese New Year, and many Japanese visit during their August summer holiday. Located in the Asia Pacific, Palau attracts many scuba divers from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China. In April 1,721 Japanese, 1,068 Koreans and 1,015 Taiwanese tourists visited Palau. | 
