Riya Bhagwan 
Fiji’s tourism industry has confirmed there are no planned layoffs, as forward bookings and demand remain steady.
Tourism Action Group Chair Damend Gounder reassured stakeholders at the Fiji Tourism Exchange 2026 this morning that the sector is resilient despite rising costs from the Middle East conflict.
He emphasizes that TAG is making data-driven decisions to keep the sector competitive and capable of absorbing new demand.
Gounder adds that the industry is well-prepared to handle challenges like fuel surcharges, which have been successfully managed in the past.
Highlighting the sector’s importance, he highlighted that tourism accounts for over 40% of Fiji’s GDP and supports more than 120,000 jobs.
“The position that TAG is taking is a position of real, real position, not a panic position. So the real position is what the government has said on the fuel reserves and what fuel is coming in. The real position is what Fiji Airways is telling us as to what they are holding. And the real position is that there may be some fuel increases in the coming months, but it’s not telling us it’s going to be blown out in such a way that we will not be able to afford.”
Gounder reaffirmed TAG’s commitment to safeguarding the workforce and ensuring sustainable growth, citing the industry’s past success as a testament to its resilience.
