Ahead of the inaugural AHICE Fiji Islands Investment in Tourism Summit on July 3-4, Tourism Fiji CEO, Brent Hill, spoke exclusively to HM about the strong demand for holidays in the South Pacific.
Tourism in Fiji is booming! After the devastation of Covid, the recovery of the tourism industry in Fiji has been rapid and welcomed.
With tourism accounting for 38% of Fiji’s economy, it is such a vital sector to our country. Since reopening, Fiji’s tourism sector has seen record volumes of visitor arrivals, in particular from our key source markets of Australia, NZ, North America and China.
We have also seen incredible growth in yield (Average Daily Rate and RevPAR) and occupancy.
This has led to our Deputy Prime Minister declaring Fiji needs 5000 new hotel beds to cater for demand.
When factoring in the strong growth and profitability of the national carrier, Fiji Airways, and their desire to open more routes in 2024-25, the future for tourism is bright. Now is definitely the right time for investment in Fiji.
The existing product set of resorts and boutique island resorts, enables Fiji to welcome close to 1 million tourists annually, but there is opportunity right across the spectrum – from large-scale resorts to boutique luxury and business and conference hotels.
Demand is due to strong and consistent marketing by Tourism Fiji and Fiji Airways across the globe, coupled with increased airline capacity, and the accessibility of Fiji – just 3.5hrs from Sydney, and with brand new modern aircraft such as the four A350s of Fiji Airways’ fleet, connecting to 15 countries, delivering a consistent, premium product.
Fiji continues to be loved the world over for the world class accommodation, great food and drink options, beautiful weather and classic sun, sand and surf.
However, what really makes Fiji stand out is our people and our culture. Fijians are naturally hospitable and almost always on leaving, guests comment on the Fijian’s warmth and happiness. Which is why the slogan for tourism in Fiji is “where happiness comes naturally”.
The low cost of labour, incredible locations and access to nature, provide opportunities for investors. Sustainability remains at our core – our natural resources remain pristine, and we want to preserve this for generations to come.
Therefore, the invitation is to interested investors, to come and see Fiji for yourself, and then consider investing in our incredible country. AHICE Fiji provides an opportunity for investors, brands, landowners and the broader industry to meet and hear more of the incentives, ease-of-doing-business initiatives and appeal of setting up in Fiji.
In a world where tourists are increasingly seeking authentic, meaningful travel, with easy access, Fiji continues to tick the box. Come and see for yourself, why it is the only place in the world “where happiness comes naturally”.
Register now for AHICE Fiji Islands Investment in Tourism Summit.