SUVA, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Fiji is setting its sights on transit international passengers -- a largely overlooked market -- to boost tourism earnings.
In a move led by Tourism Fiji in partnership with the national government, strategies are being developed to convert transit passengers into short-term visitors.
The initiative comes as Fiji looks to diversify its tourism revenue streams and maximize the economic value of every arrival, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation news website reported on Thursday.
Each month, an estimated 30,000 transit passengers travel through Fiji, presenting a largely untapped market for the tourism sector.
In 2023 alone, around 1.3 million passengers transited through Fiji without leaving the airport, highlighting a significant loss in potential tourism earnings.
Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Paresh Pant said discussions are underway to introduce policy changes that would make short stopovers more attractive.
One proposal under consideration is extending the duty-free departure window from two days to four days, giving travelers more incentive to briefly explore Fiji before continuing their journey.
The strategy reflects broader global tourism trends, where destinations are increasingly targeting "stopover tourism" to capture additional spending from transit travelers.
Airlines and tourism bodies in regions such as the Middle East and Asia have successfully used similar models to boost visitor numbers and economic returns, Pant said. ■
