Tourism Fiji says forward booking trends remain steady for the coming months but early indicators are pointing to softer demand from November onwards as global economic pressures continue affecting travel markets.
Tourism Fiji CEO Paresh Pant said current booking data from STR shows winter travel demand is tracking slightly below the same period last year.
“Current indicators suggest bookings from April through October remain stable or marginally lower year-on-year, with softer trends emerging from November onwards,” Dr Pant said.
He said consumer confidence in key tourism markets continues to be affected by rising living costs and geopolitical instability in the Middle East.
“Consumer sentiment across key markets continues to be influenced by broader global economic pressures, including cost-of-living concerns linked to ongoing geopolitical instability in the Middle East,” he stated.
Dr Pant also said Fiji is operating in an increasingly competitive tourism environment, with rival destinations offering heavily discounted travel deals, flexible upgrade packages and cancellation policies aimed at securing bookings early.
Tourism Fiji and the Tourism Action Group have been meeting regularly since March to assess forward booking data and broader market conditions with industry stakeholders.
The organisation said operational costs across the tourism sector continue rising globally, particularly fuel and energy expenses, placing further pressure on the industry.
Despite concerns over future booking trends, Fiji’s overall tourism performance for 2026 remains positive so far.
Visitor arrivals between January and April reached 276,701 — an increase of 4.6 percent compared to the same period last year.
Several markets recorded growth in April, including the United States, United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Japan and Canada.
However, visitor numbers from New Zealand, China and Australia declined during the month.
Dr Pant said Tourism Fiji has now launched a targeted digital campaign across Australia and New Zealand during the winter season to help maintain Fiji’s visibility and competitiveness in key source markets.
“There is also cautious optimism that the coming weeks may provide opportunities for Fiji to improve its competitive positioning across our key source markets,” he said.
