Planning can begin once again for holidays to Fiji, with the country announcing this week it will be reopening its international borders to visitors from the beginning of December.
Making the announcement on Fiji Day, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said he was ready to roll the welcome mat back out to travellers from Australia and New Zealand after two years of being closed. He said the country was well prepared to deal with quarantine-free travel, with every hotel and tour operator certified under the Care Fiji Commitment COVID-safe program.
“To our friends in Australia and New Zealand and to the residents of other countries we’re preparing to welcome, our message is simple: Fiji is ready to welcome you back to our shores,” said Prime Minister Bainimarama.
Image: Mark Snyder, Tourism Fiji
As part of its COVID-safe commitment, Fiji will require all visitors to be fully vaccinated and to be arriving from a ‘Travel Partner’ country such as Australia and New Zealand. Further, all arrivals must have spent the 10 days preceding their arrival in Fiji in the same approved country, have completed a PCR test and returned a negative result three days before arrival, and submit to all post-travel testing upon returning to their home country.
Travellers will be required to remain within their resort for the first 48 hours on arrival before being able to venture out to declared ‘Safe Travel Areas’ for the purposes of tours and activities with accredited safe tour operators. These measures are in place to supplement an existing high vaccination rate already in place in Fiji, which has surpassed 80% of its eligible population.
Families with unvaccinated children ineligible for the jab at the time of travel will still be able to visit Fiji however must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult.
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In line with the announcement, leading hotel operators across Fiji have welcomed the border reopening, with Marriott International leading the kudos with a message that it will progressively reopen for travellers.
“We are very proud to begin preparations to re-open our world-class luxury holiday resorts and villas spread across the majestic Fiji Islands,” said, Marriott International Multiple Vice President – Fiji and Samoa, Neeraj Chadha.
Accor Pacific CEO, Simon McGrath, said the excitement from the company’s teams in Fiji is off the scale.
“We cannot wait to welcome our guests back with genuine heartfelt service to one of the most beautiful locations in the world,” McGrath said.
IHG Hotels and Resorts Managing Director Australasia and Pacific, Matt Tripolone, said the reopening of Fiji will be a very welcome milestone for Aussies and Kiwis.
“Fiji has done a great job in getting itself ready, including World Health Organisation-approved standards of best-practice health and safety measures, and that should give travellers great confidence,” Tripolone said.
“We will be ready at IHG too – we’re bringing our amazing colleagues back to work after a tough 18 months, and our four hotels are getting ready to welcome travellers again, including the appointment of Wellness Ambassadors at each property.”