Fiji’s visitor arrival is at an all-time high and is expected to be four per cent higher than pre-COVID numbers in 2019.
This exciting development was shared by Minister for Tourism Viliame Gavoka at the Fiji Tourism Convention on Yanuca Island, Sigatoka, yesterday.
“By next year, we will have received a million visitors,” Mr Gavoka said.
“Tourism earnings for the first half of the year surpassed the same period in 2019, perhaps a better measure, and investor confidence is strong, with the tourism sector leading investments.
“New hotels are in the pipeline with renovations/extension of existing ones and our tourism brand was refreshed, making itself known in places we didn’t before.”
Mr Gavoka said events such as conventions provided space for stakeholders to discuss the industry’s way forward. With local tourism properties reporting an average occupancy of 80 per cent, the minister noted the importance of being sustainable in the long term in such a competitive industry.
“The national airline, Fiji Airways, not only re-opened all our direct routes but added new destinations and new markets.
“We have returned to 2019 levels of GDP with the Fijian economy projected to expand by 8.2 percent and this quick recovery is on the back of the tourism industry.”
The minister said in the first 10 months this year, arrival numbers were 3 per cent higher than pre-pandemic numbers.
