Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, 20 February 2025 – Earlier this week, the world observed Global Tourism Resilience Day, an initiativerecognized by the UNWTO to highlight the critical role tourism plays in fosteringsustainability and economic stability.
In a world that continues to grapple with financial and environmental challenges, tourism stands out as a powerful force for good—connecting people with nature, promoting environmental responsibility, and driving conservation efforts.
And while we do recognise that on the heels of successful economic benefits, tourism’s downsides often include environmental impacts, cultural erosion and unhealthy economic dependency; it is also clear that the industry can be more than just an economic engine with the right focus.
Tourism—particularly sustainable tourism and ecotourism—has become a tool for positive change, not only contributing directly to economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection but also providing job creation within local communities that can improve their livelihoods and economic development through opportunities as tour guides, hospitality staff, artisans and entrepreneurs using their own resources.
In Fiji, tourism is deeply intertwined with the social, cultural, and environmental fabric of the nation, playing a multifaceted role beyond just being an industry.
Recognised as the backbone of our economy, it has climbed to its current status through the need to constantly reinvent itself from its original focus of welcoming the world to our paradise-like shores that offered serene beach landscapes and long days of sunshine that went hand in hand with frothy cocktails and happy frolicking.
It moved to become a safe and welcoming destination for families and weddings that were followed by honeymoons that then led to more families being created – and thus the family market, boosted by our love of children, became synonymous with Fiji. While the family market is still a bedrock of what Fijian tourism might rely on, it has moved on to capture what has been an evolving demand in what people expect when they travel and why people are choosing to travel now.
The demand for higher-end experiences, with luxury resorts and superyachts stopping by to indulge in pampering that includes exclusive use of secluded beaches, indulgent spas, and wines and food to complement the expected levels of luxurious architecture and landscaping, was increasingly catered for.
With this branching out into luxury experiences came another demand that was far easier to deliver.
This was the demand for cultural immersion, in experiences that showcased care for the environment, commitment to communities and preservation of our coral reefs, forests, and biodiversity.
This in turn evolved naturally into activities that offered insights into these elements, with local communities empowered to use these opportunities to become part of the fabric of tourism.
From island hopping, underwater adventures, forest and mountain trekking or going off the beaten track to explore rivers and highland village life; there is now a range of adventure, seclusion, luxury or barebones affordability, depending on how much time, energy and money you wish to spend.
This has been tourism’s resilience journey over the last 70 years – recovering from each natural or man-made crisis it has been thrown, to review its strategy whilst cresting the next wave, so that it can plough through the next challenge based on global demand.
However, the industry is not immune to internal pressures and the role of tourism in supporting economic and financial resilience has never been more critical, as it has been our unhappy historical experience that the industry is often perceived as an immortal, golden goose.
For perspective, the ANZ Pacific Insight report released recently notes that Fiji’s debt as of 30 October 2024 stood at FJD 10.6 billion, and is projected to increase to FJD 10.9 billion in the 2024-25 financial year—78% of GDP.
Roughly 30% of this debt is external, borrowed from institutions like the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific.
Such a substantial debt burden has ripple effects across all sectors, influencing everything from public services to business confidence.
Ensuring steady revenue generation is a national priority, and as tourism remains Fiji’s most reliable economic driver, the industry is feeling the weight of responsibility resting heavily on its shoulders.
Our substantial reliance on imported fresh produce, food products, and the bulk of our construction and interior furnishings means we are at the mercy of external forces and geopolitical pressures that could trigger commodity price volatility and elevate import costs.
Efforts at more sustainable business practices or moving to renewable energy are stymied by the lack of supportive national policies that would see far higher numbers of businesses including non-tourism businesses, recycle more, reduce landfills, review their plastic usage, apply water conservation initiatives, and opt for renewable energy.
The private sector can take the lead role in these areas but needs supportive government policies and enabling regulatory agencies who understand the long-term benefits over the short-term gains with higher tariffs and the quagmire of approval processes that appear designed to stall and confound.
Encouraging waste reduction, ethical sourcing, and environmentally responsible operations not only benefits the environment but also strengthens Fiji’s reputation as a sustainable destination, with the cherry on top being the money we save as a nation.
Beyond environmental sustainability, tourism also serves as a powerful platform for showcasing Fiji’s rich culture and heritage, offering visitors authentic experiences while preserving traditional practices.
But we need more support to ensure we do this right and do this consistently and with inclusivity.
While many people sit on the sidelines and complain about their inability to be part of the efforts well underway within the industry to strengthen Fiji’s identity; these are well
in hand through the integration of cultural performances, handicrafts, and indigenous knowledge into tourism experiences while providing economic opportunities for artisans and cultural practitioners.
Many within targeted communities have leapt at the opportunities provided to be part of this.
Equally important is the recognition of the positive economic empowerment of women and young people who still live in their village communities, through access to education, training, and business opportunities within the sector.
Suppose some people believe cultural experiences being showcased can be improved to be more authentic. In that case, they should contact the communities providing these to visitors to provide their cultural expertise and offer support.
There is no doubt we can do more to ensure our artisans, cultural dancers and craftspeople are sharing their traditional knowledge, but we do not see the responsible entities doing more to spread this awareness that tourism could support.
In the same manner, we do not see much help from outside tourism, supporting industry efforts to maintain the fragile balances required for marine life to flourish so that visitors can enjoy the underwater reef systems and the nearby communities can continue to have an abundance of seafood.
The impact of tourism extends beyond businesses and employees—it has become a cornerstone of rural development, with the potential to improve living standards by encouraging investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare in remote areas.
By default, it creates wider awareness of the importance of preserving our environments, protecting our oceans and forests and being naturally resilient to the ever-changing forces of nature.
The international community has recognized tourism’s transformative power with the UN General Assembly proclaiming 2027 the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism, calling on nations to promote tourism as a driver of sustainable development.
We can lead by example. Fiji is well-positioned to show how resilient it has been and will continue to be.
Fantasha Lockington – CEO, FHTA (Published in the Fiji Times on 23 February 2025)
Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association
The Voice of the Industry
