Apenisa Waqairadovu 
file photo
The Minister for Tourism is unfazed by forecasts of a potential slowdown.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Viliame Gavoka remains confident the industry will continue to perform strongly.
Gavoka says even if growth dips slightly by one or two percentage points, it will still represent solid progress for the sector.
While the Reserve Bank expects growth in the tourism industry to flatten this year, Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka disagrees, expressing confidence in the sector’s continued momentum.
“Tourism is here to stay, and if you look at tourism contributing to about 40 percent of GDP and we are talking about 50 percent of GDP by both tourism and civil aviation, that will not change.”
While on Castaway Island, the minister says the resort is a clear sign of growth in the industry.
“The figures for May for this resort in particular were better than last year, better than their budget, so that could be a story with the other properties in Fiji.”
With tourism earnings reaching $2.53 billion last year, the country is now focused on staying competitive by diversifying its tourism offerings, investing in infrastructure, and supporting community-based ventures.
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