NATIONAL aviation resilience should be a national responsibility, not a targeted burden on the same industry already carrying fuel costs, labour shortages, compliance pressure, and global price sensitivity, and forever being targeted in some way or another to keep the economy going.
That was the message from Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington as she criticised the new 5 per cent Tourism Services Tax during the National Budget Forum 2026 in Suva on Wednesday.
Ms Lockington argued that protecting Fiji Airways was a national responsibility and should not come at the expense of the tourism industry alone.
“Resilience cannot mean transferring the burden of delayed planning onto the same industry expected to keep this economy going,” she said.
She said other funding options should have been considered, including a broader tax approach that would have spread the cost across the economy.
“We know any discussions to increase VAT in a pre-election year sends shivers down every politician’s spine, but that was also an option that meant that every business and transaction supported the national airline. It is, after all, a national asset for Fiji, and something we should all be very proud of, and therefore, must protect.”
Ms Lockington questioned whether the new levy would achieve its intended objective or simply create unnecessary costs and administrative burdens for tourism operators.
“What if tossing in this 5 per cent tax still does not make any significant impact other than imposing a technical, financial, and commercial nightmare to the businesses the tax will be imposed on, and in doing so, we erode Fiji’s reputational brand with increased costs being passed along.?
“Believe me, it will be passed along, and wholesalers and travel agents finally giving up on Fiji’s consistent ability to slam attacks on within short time frames, so we might just be basically shooting ourselves in the foot, and the entire economy might suffer anyway as a result.”
