Fiji’s tourism sector is under pressure from stagnant visitor arrivals from key markets like Japan, says Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka.

He said this in the wake of Fiji signing a Memorandum of Cooperation with Japan, in a bid to strengthen tourism resilience and long-term sustainability.

Gavoka said low visitor numbers from Japan could be linked to a weak Yen and broader economic challenges

He announced the new partnership and said the agreement with Japan’s Tourism Agency was designed to address the pressing issues of climate change, economic instability, and natural disasters.

Gavoka said that Japan, once one of Fiji’s top tourism markets, has seen a steady decline in outbound travel in recent years.

Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister, Viliame Gavoka

The weak yen and Japan’s ongoing economic struggles mostly after the 1990s real estate collapse, have kept Japanese tourism numbers flat.

Despite these challenges, he said the MoC aims to focus on areas where Japan excels, including disaster preparedness, sustainability, and innovation in tourism practices.

Through the partnership, Gavoka said Fiji would learn from Japan’s world-leading disaster resilience systems, which are designed to ensure that tourism infrastructure can withstand and recover from natural disasters.

While Japan’s outbound tourism remains uncertain due to its weak economy, the MoC is focused on creating a foundation for long-term growth.

The MoC coincided with Fiji’s participation in the Japan Tourism Resilience Summit, where tourism leaders from the Asia-Pacific region met to discuss recovery and growth strategies.

The summit highlighted key themes such as resilience, sustainability and innovation, which is also the focus of the new partnership between Fiji and Japan.