A Nadi resident has told tourism lawmakers that traditional Fijian meke groups should be reinstated inside the arrivals lounge at Nadi International Airport so visitors can experience an “authentic” welcome on first arrival.
The appeal was made by Dikeva Sovau during a consultation on the Tourism Bill 2026 this week. Sovau said the airport used to be alive with the “laughter and a happy atmosphere” created by cultural welcomes and that modern tourists — “from America, England, France” — come to Fiji specifically to see the Pacific spirit. “Can we have the meke group to come back because we do not have that anymore,” she said. “Just bring back the authentic spirit that we had long time ago.”
Sovau’s comments underline a tension between cultural presentation and operational constraints at Fiji’s main international gateway. Fiji Airports general manager Air Traffic Management & Operations Amit Singh told the consultation that the company continues to stage entertainment inside the arrivals lounge — specifically maintaining a Ukulele serenaders group — but that full meke performances are not permitted within the enclosed arrivals space.
“For the meke group we can only do that outside of the arrivals space,” Singh said, adding that broader problems affecting the tourism sector must be considered when planning arrivals activities. “Fiji is at a juncture where we have other elements also affecting the tourism sector, the drug problem, and we also have security issues that we have to take into consideration.”
Singh’s statement frames the issue as one of balancing airport security and public-safety protocols with visitor experience. He suggested that while lighter musical entertainment can be accommodated in the arrivals lounge, larger cultural performances that draw crowds and require staging would be better located outdoors where crowd control and security screening are simpler to manage.
Sovau and local voices pushing for a return to traditional welcomes argue that the first impression visitors get on arrival is central to Fiji’s tourism product. She described the meke and cultural groups as part of what makes Fiji distinctive and said seeing such performances immediately upon arrival helps visiting travellers connect with local culture.
The exchange at the Tourism Bill consultation is the latest indication that stakeholders are weighing how to present Fijian culture to international visitors while meeting modern safety, health and operational requirements. The Tourism Bill 2026 process has provided a forum for businesses, communities and residents to raise concerns and suggestions about the direction of the sector; this cultural-welcome debate is likely to be followed closely by tourism operators and community performers alike as consultations continue.
Fiji Airports’ current approach — live ukulele music inside arrivals and larger cultural performances limited to outdoor areas — remains in place pending any policy changes. Whether the consultation leads to revisions that would allow traditional meke groups to return inside the arrivals lounge will depend on further discussions between cultural groups, airport management and security agencies as the Tourism Bill process unfolds.