'New Life' in Fiji
Life after the pandemic is different for many of us. The sense of newfound freedom feels like a second opportunity for people across the globe, encouraging them to step out and get the best of what they couldn’t enjoy during the global pandemic. While this passion for socializing promises enormous opportunities for the tourism and hospitality industry, it also presents an equal amount of challenges, including new consumer expectations where guests seek convenience and sophistication from their favorite brands.
According to Statista, the market size of the global tourism sector grew by roughly 41 percent in 2022 from the previous year after dropping dramatically in the aftermath of the pandemic (COVID-19). Despite the sharp increase, the market size of tourism worldwide remained below pre-pandemic levels, totaling around $2 trillion in 2022. As forecast, this figure is expected to rise to nearly $2.29 trillion in 2023, surpassing the peak reported in 2019. These numbers establish hope in Fiji. An archipelago of more than 300 islands, Fiji is largely dependent on tourism. But for the tourism industry in the country, things are not yet back to normal, as they are still endeavoring to recover from the financial crisis induced by the two pandemic-ridden years. Hence, going forward, they need to be more careful with their investments and marketing. It must be pin-pointed and data-powered.
According to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, visitor arrivals for June 2023 totaled 90,460. In June, visitors arriving for holiday purposes accounted for 79 percent of total arrivals, while two percent came for business purposes, and 19 percent visited Fiji for other reasons. The majority of visitors were aged between 25-64 years (61.6 percent). Tourism Fiji has said that during this period, 36 hotels in Fiji operated at 87 percent occupancy. The tourism industry in Fiji must look at these numbers as markers and custom-make their offerings accordingly. It will take them a long way forward. In this issue, we have curated some amazing stories from the island.