New Tourism Fiji CEO to focus on restoring tourism activity and jobs for thousands of Fijians

The immediate focus of new Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill will be to work with Fiji’s health authorities to restore tourism activity which has been most affected since we recorded our first case of COVID-19 in the country last year.

Hill most recently was the Executive Director of Marketing for the South Australian Tourism Commission and brings over 16 years of experience in tourism and digital marketing.

He replaces former CEO Matt Stoeckel whose tenure ended in December 2020.

Minister for Tourism Faiyaz Koya says restoring tourism activity will not only restore jobs for hundreds of thousands of Fijians but it will also significantly contribute to the revival of the economy through the industry’s multiplier effect.

Koya says we are turning the corner now with the rollout of our national vaccination program in anticipation of market re-entry beyond our traditional markets.

He says this sets the scene for Hill and Tourism Fiji to position Fiji as the ideal destination for those that are ready to travel.

Koya says with Hill at the helm of Tourism Fiji, we are a step closer to strategically positioning Fiji in the global market again.

Thousands of Fijians in the tourism sector have been unemployed for over a year with majority of the hotels and resorts closed. According to the 2020 ANZ Research Pacific Economic Outlook Fiji Report, tourism revenue fell from $1.9 billion in 2019 to $308 million in 2020 which is a decline of about 84%.

Tourism Fiji was allocated $25 million in the 2020/2021 National Budget.

Government had also removed the 6% Service Turnover Tax and reduced the Environment and Climate Adaptation Levy from 10% to 5% to make hotels and resorts in Fiji more affordable.

Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had said that a market survey has shown that Fijian resorts and hotels can be overpriced and as an immediate effect of these tax cuts, they expect the price structures for rooms, food, alcohol to drop.

Sayed-Khaiyum will deliver the 2021/2022 National Budget at 7.30pm this Friday.