Tourism Fiji 7 March 2022 – Appropriately coming on International Women’s Day, Tourism Fiji has announced it is working with the Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) to understand the crucial role women play in Fiji’s Tourism Industry.
The informal economy contributes considerably to Fiji’s broader economy and this study would help better understand the roles that women in the informal economy in Fiji play and the share of tourist expenditure that flows to them and their communities.
Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill said the study aligns with Tourism Fiji’s strategic priorities when it comes to sustainability and recognizing the value of tourism. “It’s a great opportunity to deep dive into the roles that women in the Fijian economy, both formal and informal, in Fiji play and especially in the tourism industry. We are very grateful to PSDI for undertaking this study, with the support of TF.”
This year’s theme is Changing Climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow and Mr Hill explains why the study is crucial to help achieve just that.
“This is an important study by PSDI. Put simply – they’d like to fully capture the full impact that women in the informal sector, and in particular those in the tourism industry, contribute to the economy of Fiji and the livelihoods of its citizens. At Tourism Fiji, we want the tourism dollars generated to help women reach their full potential and filtering down to the hardworking women that deserve it. And, opening the door for more women to be employed in our industry.”
PSDI—an Asian Development Bank technical assistance program undertaken in partnership with the governments of Australia and New Zealand—has begun the development of the methodology and looks forward to working closely with Tourism Fiji over the next few months to implement it. PSDI intends to share the results of the study with tourism partners/stakeholders and use this to make better decisions with regards to sustainable tourism opportunities for women.
