The Fijian government is in talks with an American company to host one of its tourism cruise liners in the city of Lautoka.

In a first for the country, Fiji’s High Commissioner to Australia Yogesh Punja says the company, which is based in Australia has seven brands under its name, one of which is P&O Cruises.

Punja says the spin off business from this venture is estimated to rake in more than $25 million.

“An organization called Carnival Cruises out of Miami and what it is its they’re looking at bringing an entire ship to be based full time in Lautoka to do Fiji island cruises and their Pacific cruises our of Lautoka so it means crew, food, fuel, you know A to Z is going to go into the ship out of Fiji, so it’s a huge benefit.”

Commissioner Punja says work is now underway to improve existing jetty’s on the islands as well as infrastructure for fueling and supply logistics.

Working with rural development, he says government has allocated a budget specifically to improve the existing infrastructure.

According to the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, there’s being a 55 percent increase in the number of cruise liners to Fiji and the Pacific.

Fiji has received 62 cruise liners to date, 40 of which have berthed in Suva and 22 at the Lautoka port.

The project which is in its preliminary stages is expected to be implemented in 2017.