When the Cabinet recently endorsed Fiji’s Women’s Economic Empowerment National Action Plan (WEE NAP), many women are rightly hoping it was more than just another government policy moving off another dusty shelf. For those of us in tourism, it could mark the beginning of something that could change the very shape of our industry and, by extension, the economic future of our country.
We recently participated in the Socialisation Meeting, where the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, shared the vision behind this transformative plan. As she rightly emphasised, women’s economic empowerment is not merely a “women’s issue”; it is a national imperative. With tourism standing as Fiji’s largest contributor to GDP and employment, the Government’s strategy to diversify the economy amid ongoing skills and labour shortages calls for a bold shift: empowering women to help bridge these critical gaps and drive inclusive growth.
The tourism industry has always been a space where women have been visible, but too often, only in roles that remain undervalued or underpaid. From housekeeping and marketing or sales, to kitchens, back office and handicraft production, women form the backbone of visitor experiences without necessarily being able to leverage their work into meaningful economic independence. The WEE NAP changes the conversation by setting targets and timelines, putting resources in place, and, most importantly, building accountability into the system.
The statistics the Minister shared should make us all sit up – although as a predominantly patriarchal Pacific society, it probably will not! Women currently make up just 32 per cent of Fiji’s labour force. The target is to reach 60 per cent by 2030. That means we need to almost double participation within five years. The numbers are just as stark in business, with only 19 per cent of registered businesses owned by women. The aim is to reach 50 per cent by 2029. This represents the thousands of women across Fiji who want to step up, who have skills and ideas to contribute, but who face barriers to entry, whether through finance, training, cultural expectations, or sheer lack of access.
The significance is clear to us. We are the single largest formal employer in the country, as well as the most important generator of MSME activity through supply chains and service linkages. If we can support women to take stronger, more meaningful positions within this ecosystem, then the benefits ripple far wider than our industry alone. Empowering women through tourism means stronger communities, greater financial stability for families, and more resilient local economies.
The WEE NAP has been designed with four key pillars, each of which speaks directly to the challenges we see daily in tourism. The first is women at work, ensuring that young women entering the workforce, mothers returning after raising families, and older women seeking new opportunities can access pathways, protections, and leadership roles. In any business, retention is as big an issue as recruitment. If our workplaces are not designed to support women through different life stages, then we simply continue to lose critical talent.
The second pillar is women in business. Here again, tourism is critical. From the woman who sells handmade crafts outside a resort to the entrepreneur running a guesthouse on an outer island, women-owned enterprises form the texture of our visitor offerings. Yet too many remain informal, unregistered, and cut off from finance, training, support or reliable markets. If this plan can deliver the right support, whether it’s microfinance, mentorship, or access to digital platforms, it will open the door to thousands of women-led businesses flourishing in the tourism supply chain.
The third pillar, financial inclusion, is where we must be particularly proactive as an industry partner. Access to banking and digital literacy may sound basic, but in the maritime and rural communities where many of our staff and suppliers live, there are still significant gaps where, despite discussions on digitisation and going cashless, the challenges with internet accessibility and financial literacy programs have not been considered in social and communal systems where trust is more valued than a bank statement. Small, tangible steps that support a woman to track her earnings digitally, or in navigating mobile banking for the first time, can mean the difference between vulnerability, resilience and more importantly, confidence. Tourism can support this by encouraging digital adoption across its networks, offering training alongside employment, and ensuring that payments and procurement systems are designed to bring more women into the financial fold.
The final pillar, health and well-being, reminds us that empowerment cannot be separated from safety and dignity. Tourism has had to face its own reckoning with issues of workplace harassment and gender-based violence, and while progress has been made, more is always needed. When women feel safe, supported, and valued, they are more likely to thrive economically. When they thrive, so do their families and communities, and so does our industry and by default – our economy.
Government has committed to a two-phase rollout. From 2025 to 2027, the focus will be on laying foundations and securing quick wins. From 2028 to 2030, the plan will scale up and embed long-term change. For tourism, while this timeline might be practical, it may not be so for other employers, so it could be an opportune time to show how quickly we can adapt and how strongly we can support the initiatives.
I am often asked why the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association cares so deeply about these social initiatives. The answer is simple: because our industry is only as strong and as resilient as the people who power it. If we leave half the population underutilised, undervalued, or unsupported, we are limiting our own potential. The WEE NAP is not just a plan for women; it is a plan that could support a national economic transformation, but only if we actively participate and support it. As the largest employer and economic driver, we could play a more significant role.
There is growing recognition that today’s travellers seek more than scenic beauty; they value destinations that embody inclusivity, fairness, and social progress. When a visitor stays at a resort led by women in executive roles, or explores a village where women-owned enterprises are flourishing, it sends a powerful message: Fiji is not only breathtaking, but bold in its commitment to equity. These are experiences that resonate deeply, shaping perceptions and inspiring stories worth sharing with the world.
From encouraging our members to review hiring practices, to supporting women-led SMEs and facilitating financial literacy and skills training, we’ve begun identifying barriers that are often unique to the tourism sector, such as late shifts, limited access to remote areas, and the challenge of balancing seasonal work with family and community responsibilities. These insights are guiding us toward practical, inclusive solutions.
The scale of the challenge ahead should not be underestimated. But if Fiji is to remain competitive, resilient, and as inclusive as it aspires to be, then steely ambition is precisely what’s required.
Tourism, as I often remind people, is not just about hotels and flights; it’s about people, communities, and connections. This is our opportunity to demonstrate that our industry is not only aware of the need for change but committed to being an active partner in driving it. The plan is ambitious, yes. But so is tourism. And if there’s one thing we’ve proven time and again, it’s that ambition, when matched with genuine commitment, can deliver extraordinary results.
The launch of the WEE NAP in the coming days marks an important beginning. The real test lies in its implementation, and in the willingness of industries like ours to embed its principles into everyday practice, backed by clear guidelines and actionable plans. We must be ready. Because when women succeed, so does Fiji. And in tourism, we know better than anyone that success is always a shared journey.
