In the September quarter of last year, Fiji experienced a significant boost in its tourism sector, with takings from accommodation, food sales, liquor, telephone, and other miscellaneous charges amounting to $501.4 million. This represents a 7.5 percent increase from the $466.6 million logged during the same period the previous year.
The insights from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, gathered from a survey of licensed hotels, resorts, and lodging houses, reveal an increase in operational metrics. Specifically, the number of rooms sold rose by 0.9 percent, totaling 5,217, while the number of beds sold grew by 0.4 percent, reaching 4,490. The financial uptake from room sales reached $589,904 compared to $584,687 in the same quarter of 2024, and bed sales generated $1,277,054, a slight increase from $1,272,564 recorded the prior year.
Additionally, room occupancy saw a nominal improvement, with the rate increasing by 0.1 percentage points to 62.2 percent, and bed occupancy also rose by the same margin to 60.7 percent. The data highlights notable increases in room occupancy rates particularly in popular regions including Nadi, Lautoka, and Coral Coast. However, a decrease in rates was observed in Suva, the Northern Division, Mamanuca, Yasawa, and other areas.
A surge in visitors from Australia contributed significantly to this uptick, as did a noticeable influx from the United States in the Northern Division and other regions. Suva likewise welcomed a considerable number of visitors, predominantly from Japan and various Pacific Island countries.
Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka noted the impressive growth in visitor arrivals, revealing a new record of 986,367 visitors in 2025, surpassing the previous 2023 record of 929,740. Along with this, 57,420 cruise passengers were recorded in the first three quarters of the year.
Highlighting Fiji’s performance on a global scale, Minister Gavoka pointed out that international tourism reached 1.52 billion arrivals in 2025. This emphasizes the necessity for Fiji to maintain competitiveness while ensuring that growth in tourism is both sustainable and inclusive.
Gavoka stressed that the parameters for measuring success in tourism have evolved. The focus is shifting from merely counting visitor numbers to understanding how tourism growth occurs, who benefits from it, and how resilient the sector remains in the face of emerging challenges. He acknowledged the complexities surrounding the tourism environment, noting changes in global travel patterns, evolving visitor expectations, greater community engagement, and the pressures posed by climate change and economic factors.
As Fiji navigates these transformations, the tourism industry’s contributions to the economy are increasingly important, and the nation’s ability to adapt will be central to sustaining its growth in the years to come.
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