As the local saying goes, Fiji is a place “where happiness comes naturally.” Travel buyers and journalists at this past week’s annual Fiji Tourism Exchange event learned details of how much happiness has been coming here in the past year. Visitor numbers for 2024 are already up 11% compared to 2023, and the nearly one million visitors last year reached a new record for the island nation, representing nearly $1.5 billion U.S. Dollars in revenue to the country.
Leading the way are the United States, Australia, New Zealand, India and Japan as top markets. Growth from China, Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom is strong. National carrier Fiji Airways is the biggest inbound airline to the country and continues its growth strategy with new Airbus A350 aircraft and a growing number of North American destinations.
Its stopover program also encourages travelers to stay in the country en route to the rest of its network (travel from North America to Australia and New Zealand via Fiji continues to grow). Visitors can stay up to 72 hours without paying any additional taxes or fees.
According to Tourism Fiji CEO Brett Hill, Fiji’s people, mountain-and-beach landscape and a growing number of resorts are fueling the growth. Particular demographics that have seen a boost are adventure travelers and those with discretionary income between 30-50 years old. Hill’s target is to build upon this success within the coming years.
Melissa Pomeroy, principal of Fiji Vacations and nicknamed “the Fiji Queen” agrees. She grew up coming to Fiji as a child and has been to the Pacific island nation more than 100 times. Now, she helps travelers plan the perfect vacation based on their budget and interests while sharing videos about the destination on her own YouTube channel.
According to Pomeroy, who has visited every resort in Fiji, says most Americans tend to prefer the outer islands for their nature and adventure experiences although there is something for every budget (and even preferred loyalty program).
No matter where people stay, hoteliers have been hard at work to stay top of mind with visitors. These are some of the latest updates for 2024.
Following a multi-million-dollar renovation completed at the end of 2023, the 40-acre OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort, which participates in the DISCOVERY loyalty program, has added several new amenities to the property. As one of the largest resorts in the nation, the hotel is extremely popular with families, citing 75% of its business involving multi-generational groups or parents with children. New to the resort is a water slide at the main pool, 16 newly updated premium bures and a new premium ocean view room category that comes with Talai butler service. Its adventure park received a
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