Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
[Photo Credit: Tourism Fiji]
The Tourism Ministry is carving out a new tourism niche through cultural, music and sporting events.
Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka said event-based tourism was now a strategic pillar to diversify the country’s visitor offerings.
Gavoka states events like the recent Homecoming concert show Fiji can attract new audiences while boosting local communities.
“And I can tell you the team at Tourism Fiji are all out encouraging more events. They do bring a lot. And the impact on the communities is quite huge.”
Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Dr Paresh Pant said the focus was on building niches that go beyond traditional sun-and-sea tourism.
“Then on the other hand, events such as the Homecoming, that’s also connecting events with locals as well. And we can tell you, all those micro and small players in the marketplace, like the barbecue stall sellers, they ran out of stock. The breweries ran out of stock. And that’s something that we need to have a balance of both. The high-end, niche-focused locals, so that events covers as many areas of the community as possible.”
Pant adds that global events, such as the world-class surfing championship, create awareness for these niches while local festivals generate economic activity at the grassroots level.
Stakeholders say event-based tourism will grow as a key sector next year.
They say it will expand Fiji’s appeal and spread economic benefits across communities.
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