Riya Mala 
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, says the government has announced new policy plans to support tourism activities in various towns and cities.
He says these initiatives aim to help retain a higher percentage of the tourism dollar spent in Fiji.
Professor Prasad acknowledges that there will always be some leakage of tourism revenue, but the government’s focus is on ensuring that a greater share of the money stays within the country to benefit local communities and businesses.
“So that the tourism dollar is spread more effectively and a higher percentage of it stays in the country. There is always an issue of some leakage of the tourism dollar, and we can’t avoid that. You have people who have invested or run businesses here, and obviously, some level of leakage will always happen.”
Professor Prasad adds that the government’s approach includes encouraging more locally owned tourism enterprises, promoting stronger linkages between hotels and local suppliers, and improving infrastructure in urban centers to attract both international and domestic visitors.
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