Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, 25 September 2025 – Change is a constant in everything we do, including tourism, and while ensuring continuity drives our success, it is embracing change and being innovative about how we do so that gives the industry its strength.
So every month when we look at our visitor numbers and check revenue outcomes against costs, and are comparing these with the previous month’s and the previous year’s figures, we have also considered the changes that have been applied and then prepare to review these again going forward each time.
For nearly half a century, World Tourism Day has been a chance for destinations to pause and reflect on the meaning and impact of our work – where, rather than just selling holidays, we are shaping livelihoods, communities, and opportunities for future generations. This year’s theme reminds us that growth alone cannot define success.
Real transformation comes when we build tourism systems that are resilient, inclusive, and sustainable. And when we are absolutely comfortable with changing every time parts of the system threaten to fall off, fail or are no longer relevant.
While the industry continues to perform strongly with visitor arrivals still managing to exceed pre-pandemic levels, we are aware that on the surface, it looks as if the worst is behind us. However, true sustainability is not measured in arrivals alone, but through understanding how those visitor numbers are getting distributed across our islands, spending patterns and how these flow into communities, as well as whether nature based activities and experiences that have been carefully curated for maximum appeal are delivering the expected outcomes.
This year’s theme is also about governance and planning. When policy and practice are out of step, the results are higher non-compliance, long delays in approvals or inconsistent regulatory requirements that make it difficult for investors to move quickly.
Truly sustainable transformation demands more than growth—it demands discernment. Requiring that we cultivate an environment where quality investment can flourish, guided by development that respects our ecosystems and reflects the aspirations of our communities.
This means that while Fiji’s postcard beaches and resorts will always be our drawcard, our long-term sustainability depends on broadening and diversifying our offerings.
Niche tourism, whether it is eco-adventures in Vanua Levu, cultural trails in Kadavu, or wellness retreats in Taveuni, has the power to spread economic benefits more evenly.
By diversifying our visitor base across seasons, we can ease pressure on peak periods and prevent the overconcentration of tourism in only a handful of locations. This is sustainable transformation in action—building resilience through balance, variety, and smarter distribution systems.
As a people-driven sector, this year’s World Tourism Day reminds us of the importance of investing in education and skills. Across many emerging destinations, young people lack adequate training and even basic awareness to take full advantage of opportunities in tourism. Fiji is no different. While we have an extraordinary workforce known worldwide for its warmth, there is still a need to equip more of our young people with specialised skills in areas like digital marketing, culinary arts, dive operations, and sustainable resource management. The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association is working with partners to identify or deliver training programmes across the country, including rural and maritime areas, because this inclusion simply makes more sense and must be built into the way we operate.
Sustainability also demands innovation. Digitalisation has already reshaped how people choose their holidays, and Fiji must remain competitive in that space. For small and medium operators, often family-owned businesses, the leap into digital marketing or online booking platforms is daunting. Yet this is where the future lies, and it is why supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises must be a national priority.
World Tourism Day 2025 also places a spotlight on sustainable investments. Between 2019 and 2024, the global tourism sector attracted more than 2,000 greenfield investment projects worth over USD 120 billion. That momentum will continue, but it is up to us to ensure that type of investment is welcomed here. Investors, government, and other private sectors must align with these principles to take advantage of the opportunities being made available.
Climate resilience is not optional for Fiji; it is existential. Rising seas, extreme weather, and biodiversity loss are not distant threats; they are realities that shape our planning every day. Sustainable transformation must therefore include reducing emissions, conserving biodiversity, and investing in infrastructure that can withstand shocks. Resorts powered by renewable energy, operators embracing reef-safe practices, and communities leading marine conservation projects are examples of the kinds of solutions we need to scale up.
This World Tourism Day is therefore both a celebration and a challenge. A celebration of how far Fiji has come, emerging from the pandemic stronger than many thought possible, with visitor numbers surging and our brand as appealing as ever. But also, a challenge to ask the harder questions: how do we ensure this success is not short lived? How do we make sure every Fijian community sees the benefits? How do we protect our natural assets in an era of climate change?
The answers will not come overnight, and they will not come from one institution alone.
They require collaboration between government ministries, Tourism Fiji, FHTA, local operators, communities, and international partners. They require the kind of leadership that is consistent, visionary, and committed to long-term planning.
I was asked recently what tourism would look like in the future. My answer is simple: it will have people at its centre. When more young students in Labasa are being trained to develop Apps that connect SMEs to customers, or an entire village in Yasawa has been certified to operate their own resort, and an investor is choosing solar-powered villas over diesel generators, then many more ordinary Fijians have been given the chance to benefit from an industry that has shaped our modern economy.
World Tourism Day 2025 calls us to commit to making tourism a platform for systemic change. Let us embrace that call by ensuring our policies, our investments, and our actions align with the kind of future we want. A future where Fiji remains a dream destination, but also a model for how tourism can absolutely be sustainable, inclusive, and resilient.
Let’s start with being the change we want to see.
Fantasha Lockington – CEO, FHTA (Published in the Fiji Times on 25 September 2025)
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