Fiji Open to Visitors and Targeting North American Advisors

Fiji, the South Pacific nation of more than 300 islands, is open for visitors and is stepping up efforts to attract North American travelers and to connect with travel advisors, according to Ruth Daly, regional director of North America for Tourism Fiji.

She said that the country opened its borders to vaccinated tourists on Dec. 1 and is continually "chipping away" at entry requirements, including recently allowing for rapid COVID-19 tests rather than the previously mandated PCR tests. An impressive 94% of Fijians are vaccinated, according to Daly.

Daly was on the first international flight into Fiji, arriving Dec. 1, and spent 27 days there, enjoying what she calls a "welcome beyond expectations" in the tradition of the country's Bula spirit. Bula, she said, means, hello and help but also describes a strong tradition of hospitality. What sets the destination apart, said Daly, is thar sense of hospitality where "you arrive as a visitor, but leave as part of the family." With a village-based system of community, said Daly, "Fijians wake up in the morning with a mission of being kind and generous to others."

Fiji, said Daly, appeals to many travel demographics, including romance and honeymoon, adventure, multi-generational families and a growing focus on the MICE (meetings, incentives, conference, exhibition) market. Fiji has had a high profile in recent years with the TV show "Survivor" being filmed there for the past 10 years. Daly emphasized that there are options for travelers "at all price points," adding, "Fiji is not just a luxury destination."

Australia, said Daly, is responsible for the largest percentage of visitors, followed by New Zealand and then North America with 12% of arrivals. "We have our eye on catching New Zealand," said Daly.

Tourism Fiji, said Daly, has recently relaunched its travel advisors training platform. Now called Matai (meaning expert), the platform offers agents all the information they need, including health protocols. It also has comprehensive sales and marketing tools like media banners and digital marketing assets. Many wholesalers offer a wide variety of programs to Fiji.

Fiji Airways, which flies A350 aircraft, offers daily flights from Los Angles and three-times-weekly service from San Francisco. The flight is just over 10 hours. The carrier is part of the Oneworld airline alliance, providing easy connections from around the U.S. and the opportunity to earn and use American Airlines and Alaska Airlines loyalty rewards.