Close to 40,000 people working in the hotel and tourism sector on leave without pay and reduced hours

Close to 40,000 people working in the hotel and tourism sector in the country continue to remain seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of workers have been sent on Leave Without Pay while a small number of people are on reduced hours and on rotational work.

Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association CEO, Fantasha Lockington says the assessment of the industry is that more than 150,000 people are directly or indirectly affected by the drastic drop in visitor arrivals as a result of the global pandemic. This includes all the businesses connected with the provision of goods and services when we have tourists in the country.

Lockington says it is devastating for the entire industry for now - with no light seen at the end of the tunnel.

Lockington says this time of the year would have been the beginning of the high season however Fiji does not hold any bookings rather than returning residents from April to June this year.

She says the industry does not know and no one can predict at this stage on when the borders will open, and when can tourists safely come into the country.

Lockington says health protective measures will also need to be in place when the borders do open up.

She says from April to June last year, we had 235,634 visitors.

Between January to June last year, we had 470,000 visitors and they spent $1.2 billion. For the whole of last year, Fiji had 894,000 visitors and $2.1 billion came in through tourism earnings.

Lockington says the March arrival figures are down 53 percent, from 59,000 visitors in March last year to 27,972 visitors this year.