Association Chief Executive Fantasha Lockington.

About 279 operators under the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association have closed due to a drastic decline in tourists.

Association Chief Executive, Fantasha Lockington says there are zero bookings for the next few months because people are taking precautions against the Coronavirus and many governments have closed their borders.

Lockington says with no tourists forecast to visit Fiji for the next six months, small cash based operators will feel the pinch – if they haven’t already.

Over a prolonged period, this will dig into their savings.

“You’re not going to survive, you’re going to run out of cash. Smaller businesses have a huge dependence on cash flow. If they don’t get any direct assistance from the government then they’re just not going to be able to keep their head above water.”

Less than thirty hotels and resort remain open across Fiji, operating at a reduced scale.

As of today, about 20,000 hospitality workers have been sent home.