KIWIS KEEN TO GET TO FIJI – 39% PLAN TO BOOK THROUGH AN AGENT

Fiji is high on the list of New Zealanders’ travel aspirations lists right now and many would pack their bags and go if the borders opened now, according to research released late last week.

Tourism Fiji partnered with Mediaworks at the end of 2020 to survey Kiwis around their mindset towards Fiji for a holiday. The research targeted listeners on three radio stations – MoreFM, The Breeze and George FM.

Of the respondents, 99 per cent said they would travel to Fiji if a ‘bubble’ was formed, with 54 per cent keen to travel as soon as they could. Nearly 40 per cent indicated they planned to book their trip to Fiji through a travel agent.

Also 54 per cent of them indicated that they have never been to Fiji before, opting for more long haul destinations in the pre-Covid world.

Additional results indicate that 83 per cent intend to travel for at least five to seven days, with 15 per cent planning on visiting Fiji for a few weeks – 38 per cent would book boutique accommodation, versus the 28 per cent who would book an international chain.

Sonya Lawson, regional manager Tourism Fiji NZ regional office, says the organisation’s reentry strategy to the market is largely focused on its trade relationships in New Zealand.

‘Our plan is to drive consumers directly to the trade to book their next trip to Fiji.’

She says despite the many setbacks of 2020, Tourism Fiji’s confidence is at an ‘all time high’ that Kiwis want to travel to the destination when they are finally able to do so.