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Similar to international air travel, cruising will resume in line with entry conditions established by the Fijian Government.
Welcoming back cruise ships back into Fijian waters is a key facet of Fiji’s ongoing economic recovery. Pre-COVID, cruise companies, their passengers, and crew spent FJ$44.2 million (£16.5million) annually in Fiji. The 2018 study on the economic impact of cruise tourism in Fiji also reveals that each cruise ship voyage brings an average of FJ$305,000 (£113,497) in spending per port of call and one cruise ship passenger brings FJ$90 (£33.50) of spending each.
With cruise vessels soon entering and docking in Fijian waters, thet high direct spends by visitors to our shores will directly benefit handicraft sellers, which are mostly women, as well as local tour operators who regularly line up at the Lautoka port on cruise days.
To ensure the safe return of cruising to Fiji, the Fijian Government will put in place additional measures to reduce risks, including:
- All travellers 16 years and above – both cruise passengers and crew – to be fully vaccinated with a Fiji-recognised COVID-19 vaccine;
- A Rapid Antigen Test taken within 24 hours prior to disembarkation at Fijian ports;
- Valid medical travel insurance, with international coverage of COVID-19.
All onshore excursions will also be guided by health and safety protocols, including the Care Fiji Commitment. Mandates imposed by the cruise industry including implementation of appropriate operating and outbreak management plans, and COVID-19 safety plans will also help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission onboard ships.
The CRMT will continue to review Fiji’s entry requirements and COVID safe measures, with a focus on strengthening community surveillance and the robustness of the in-country testing digital platform, supplemented by the already high vaccination rates.
