Cruise ships to return to Fiji

Good news as the Government, through the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce has announced the resumption of the cruise ships market into Fiji.

Tourism Fiji says a Fiji Cruise Study report published by IFC states that in 2018, cruise companies, their passengers and crew spent FJ$44.2 million.

The report highlights these cruise ships not only directly benefit Fiji’s economy but indirectly through five major sectors: general retail, food and beverage and hotel, transport, tours and entertainment and specialist tourism retail.

Prior to the pandemic, international cruise ships berthed in Fiji several times a year and significantly contributed to visitor spend and arrival stats.

According to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, in 2019 the cruising market brought in 74,000 visitors through Fiji’s three ports in Lautoka, Suva and Savusavu.

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill says the cruise ship segment is crucial for boosting small and medium sized enterprises or SMEs too and directly benefits the local Fijian community.

Hill says already Fiji is blessed with the boutique cruise industry based here in Fiji, and this addition of large ships, cements Fiji as a strong destination for cruising.

He says these large ships contribute money directly into our economy and what’s even better – they support SMEs and help rural economies in Fiji to grow and earn a living.