Spreading Happiness to a Stressed World
Fiji is an island nation with a land area of about 18,000 sq Km. In an ocean 165 million square kilometres in size. This is equivalent to getting a grain of sand and putting it into a small swimming pool.
With very little land area and natural resources to export how does a tiny island nation like Fiji, generate foreign remittances to pay for fuel, medicines, machinery, equipment, grain, aircraft, mobile phones, steel, cars, etc.
All essential imports critical to the development of our nation? The answer is tourism. Our biggest export for our country. Not in the traditional sense of an export product that we can put in a box but as a “service”.
Meeting our Fijian people, renowned the world over for their warmth, genuine hospitality, and spreading happiness to a rush and stressed world craving to find rest and inspiration.
It is this service that international visitors feel when they step on a Fiji Airways aircraft in Sydney, and when they arrive at Nadi international airport met by a friendly Rosie Holidays concierge and chauffeur, and then off to a luxury private island getaway enjoying an overwater bungalow at Likuliku lagoon on their honeymoon, or if they are a family enjoying the famous Tia’s Tree House on Malolo Island Resort.
With over 300 islands our visitors have the choice of cruising on a small ship, visiting a Fijian village, snorkeling in our lagoons to view our world class reefs or enjoying the many beautiful resorts sprinkled throughout our pristine ocean.
Revenue
It is this industry that generates over
$ 2.0 billion annually in foreign inflows, the largest source of foreign remittances, which is 40 per cent of our entire GDP, a sector that provides over 50,000 jobs directly and another 50,000 jobs indirectly. Put very simply, every 16 international visitors that arrive at Nadi airport provide food on the table directly for one Fijian family every single day and indirectly another Fijian family.
It is tourism that pays for all our essential imports, vital for our country’s development.
It is a force for good that has the power to lift every Fijian out of poverty and improve the social and economic wellbeing of every citizen.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on this vital sector with our airports closed to international visitors since March 26 of this year, with job losses and furloughs across the country.
But we are confident that in time international visitors will again return in strong numbers seeking to find happiness and rest. We will bring our people back to work and help rebuild our economy.
The world will have changed. But the warmth and positiveness of our Fijian people will remain.