The narrative surrounding “Fiji’s economic success” is garnering attention in Australia, further strengthening the bond between the two nations. Australia’s Assistant Minister for Trade, Tim Ayres, highlighted the fondness Australian families have for Fiji during a virtual address at the 2024 Fiji Australia-Australia Fiji Business Councils Joint Forum in Suva, attended by over 200 delegates from both countries.
Ayres expressed pride in Australia’s integral role in Fiji’s economic resilience, emphasizing that Fiji’s recovery has been significantly fueled by the influx of Australian tourists. He noted that Australia has become one of Fiji’s primary trade and investment partners, with two-way trade in goods and services soaring from $812 million in 2021 to an impressive $3.2 billion by 2023, a nearly 294 percent increase. This growth is largely attributed to the Australians’ enthusiasm for traveling to Fiji, driven by its proximity, competitive pricing, and enhanced flight connectivity.
In 2023, Fiji welcomed almost 930,000 visitors, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers and surpassing 2019 figures by four percent, with nearly half of these visitors hailing from Australia. Beyond tourism, Ayres mentioned that the economic partnership between Fiji and Australia encompasses various sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and business process outsourcing.
In 2023, around 3,000 Australian businesses exported goods valued at $562 million to Fiji. Ayres also commended the work of Pacific Trade and Invest (PTI) in promoting Fijian exports to Australia, facilitating $49 million in exports, an increase of $12 million from the prior year, largely driven by kava exports. He noted that Fijian kava has gained a strong foothold in Australia, contributing to Fiji being recognized as the second-largest kava exporter to the Australian market.