Likuliku lagoon resort on Malolo Island: 50,000 tourits have arrived in Fiji since December. Photo / Tourism Fiji
Likuliku lagoon resort on Malolo Island: 50,000 tourits have arrived in Fiji since December. Photo / Tourism Fiji
From 7 April, Fiji will open its borders to all countries and remove quarantine requirements for vaccinated arrivals.
Visitors from New Zealand and other countries will no longer be required to pre-book designated accommodation for the first three days.
Fijian Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced that from next month fully-vaccinated visitorsand Fijian citizens would only be required to take a rapid antigen test for Covid-19 within 24 hours of arrival.
Current 'soft quarantine' measures require tourists from travel partner countries to stay only at CFC (Care Fiji Commitment) certified resorts during the first three days of arrival.
The Fijian Times reported that Nadi's Chamber of Commerce and Industry had called for quarantine measures to more closely resemble those of countries like Australia and not favour CFC resorts and operators over those who could not get certified.
New Zealand is currently one of 15 countries on Fiji's green list, allowing vaccinated travellers to visit.
Fiji is opening its borders to the rest of the world from next month. Photo / Laucala Resort
Tourism Fiji confirmed that travellers from New Zealand would no longer be required to show proof of CFC accommodation booking, although travellers will need to take out travel insurance and to pre-book RATs before departure.
"The website for pre-booking these tests will be available in the coming days," they said.
And, while it was no longer a requirement, "our recommendation is for NZ visitors to Fiji to continue to choose to stay and play in CFC approved accommodation and activity providers while on holiday in Fiji."
Since October 2020 there are now over 2,000 tourism providers and resorts signed up to the Care Fiji Commitment.
The news was well-received by Fiji Airways, which saw it as an end to the constraints imposed on flying to countries excluded from Fiji's 'travel partner' scheme.
The airline's managing director Andre Viljoen said the announcement "could not be better" for the airline as they approach peak visitor season.
"We're already projecting big arrivals numbers over the coming months and now we expect the numbers to look even better."
From 14 April the airline is increasing capacity to daily flights from Auckland, and up to twice weekly from Wellington and Christchurch.
International arrivals for the first three months since Fiji's border reopened in December are approximately 50,000 visitors.
