Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes says Australia is working closely with the Fijian Government on mapping a way forward to revive Fiji’s tourism industry.
Feakes says tourism remains critically important and their focus in the immediate will be on establishing the arrangements that can allow the Australian tourists to visit Fiji.
Feakes further says in the past some 350,000 Australian tourists visited Fiji each year and they are looking to get those tourists back as quickly as they can but it will take some time.
In light of economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, Australia has shown increased interest in supporting economic activities in Fiji’s business and agricultural sectors through the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership. Feakes says there have been preliminary discussions with business and manufacturing industries around diversification and potential partnerships.
He adds he thinks the manufacturing sector, in the wake of COVID-19, has seen people looking to diversify their supply chains and Fiji with one of the only manufacturing sectors within the Pacific is well placed there.
Feakes says he had a number of virtual discussions with the Fiji Australia Business Council - one which was chaired by the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
He says there is interest on part of the Australian business community that operates in Fiji adding the Australian business community that is resident in Australia and has invested in Fiji is looking for opportunities and he hopes that some of those come to fruition.
