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Fiji’s tourism sector is facing new challenges as the global market becomes more competitive.

After a strong post-COVID recovery, industry leaders warn that the “pent-up demand” from international visitors may be slowing.

Tourism Fiji CEO, Dr. Paresh Pant, says the sector must refocus its strategy to respond to changing marketing dynamics.

He also raised concerns about infrastructure limitations, which could affect the visitor experience if not addressed.

“And speaking of which, we’re now entering a phase where we’ve gone from a period of rapid recovery post-covid to a period where the competitors have come in strong and we really need to have a refocus and restrategize and respond to this changing market dynamics.”

Pant added that while Fiji enjoys its strong visitor numbers over the years, sustaining them will require additional effort.

“The idea now is to generally accept that the numbers might not continue to grow but we still can extract really good value and really showcase what Fiji has to offer to our tourists”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Viliame Gavoka, says competitors in the region are stepping up their game.

He noted that while tourist satisfaction remains high, Fiji must manage demand carefully, especially during peak seasons, to ensure quality experiences.

“Going forward we we’re the beneficiaries of a phenomenon known as pent-up demand, I think the pent-up demand things may have run its course. The challenge here now is, you’re back to reality now, the playing field now is kind of leveled, and all the competitors are coming up in a very aggressive way.”

Both leaders emphasized that even if visitor numbers plateau, Fiji can still extract strong value from tourism by improving infrastructure, enhancing services, and showcasing the country’s unique offerings.

Visitor arrivals in the country grew marginally by 0.3 percent to 735,154 in the year to September.

This improvement, according to the RBF review, was supported by sustained increases from the US, the United Kingdom and Pacific Island countries, although declines were noted from Australia, New Zealand and the Asian markets.

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