Fiji Tourism Swot Analysis

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Petty crimes such as theft and burglary are on the rise. Rape and HIV/AIDS has increased in the recent years. Without valuable resources such as medical clinics and community centers, there is less of a chance for education and prevention.8

Weaknesses

It was February 7, 2017. Cyclone Winston tore through the Northern part of the Fiji’s islands in 2016, with winds over 184mph, killing 44 people and causing over $1.4B USD in damages. It left 40,000 homes destroyed and 350,000 people were impacted with by Cyclone Winston. For ten minutes, winds of 145mph sustained, followed by winds of 180mph that lasted for one minute. Luckily, tropical storms of that magnitude are not very frequent. Next, Fiji faces many environmental problems, both of which are affecting land and sea. Deforestation and erosion, from logging to farming, the pollution of water from farming, the destruction of coral, the rise in sea water, therefore also destroying farms, lack of a waste disposal system and incinerating trash are all concerns that constantly need to be addressed in order to maintain the fragile balance of Fiji’s ecosystem.9

The people of Fiji are known for their warmth and welcoming. Once tourism becomes a main focal point of a local economy, those acts that are done out of tradition, albeit happily shared to an extent, could have the possibility of losing meaning. Cultural preservation is important in understanding the origins of a culture and can hopefully retain its true meaning.

Fiji has been for years, in political turmoil. This has led to some inconsistencies and uncertainties regarding Property Law. Only 9% of the land is freehold, or available for sale, and not the property of the government or native tribes. There are certain rules of citizenship that apply, and with visa restrictions of 6 months, one must apply to have a special type of residency. Even now, there is a Land Act that prohibits the sale of any freehold property to any foreigner, making it possible for people to lose money on their investment. This Act also requires a large sum of money to be spent on repairing properties.10

Opportunities

With the help of education, providing a haven for a niche market, and continuing improvements/thoughtful development of infrastructure, there is hope for Fiji to remain a destination while preserving the ecology. Its terrain itself can embody the very opportunity for scientists of so many schools of study to be able to contribute to this hope. The statistics on increase of population and the development of 6 large resorts within the last couple of years is proof that popularity is on the upswing. With two international airports and several smaller ones, Fiji is now more accessible than ever. There are now three Universities in Fiji, with an international student body. Hopefully, as people enter, there are increasing measures to preserve the beauty and kindness that has inspired the slow, but steady growth.

Fiji is a biodiverse, culturally rich nation that relies on tourism as one of its main sources of income. They have overcome many obstacles unbeknownst to us, and still have much to heal. With this, comes a whole separate set of responsibilities that most people are probably not aware of. It is a duty as a traveler to be sensitive of our presence in other countries, for many reasons. If we can tread without leaving a negative imprint- the less, the better- it can help us to learn respect for other people and other cultures.

References

1 Fiji Population. (2017, February 08). Retrieved February 26th, 2017, from http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/fiji-population/

2 Fiji Tourism. (2017, January 17). Retrieved February 22th, 2017, from

http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj/latest-releases/tourism-and-migration/visitor-arrivals

3 Fiji Tourism. (2017, January 17). Retrieved February 24th, 2017, from

http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj/latest-releases/tourism-and-migration/hotels

4 Fiji Exports and Imports. (2011). AJG Simoes, CA Hidalgo. The Economic Complexity Observatory: An Analytical Tool for Understanding the Dynamics of Economic Development. Workshops at the Twenty-Fifth AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence. Retrieved February 24, 2016 from http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/fji/

5 GDP and Tourism. (WTTC Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2015). Retrieved February 26, 2017, from https://www.wttc.org/media/files/reports/economic%20impact%20research/ countries%202015/fiji2015.pdf

6 Jean-Michele Cousteau’s resort. (2016). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.fijiresort.com/about/the-cousteau-philosophy/

7 Poverty in Fiji. (2014). Retrieved February 23, 2017, from https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/linked-documents/cps-fij-2014-2018-pa.pdf

8 Crime Statistics in Fiji. (2012). Retrieved February 26, 2017, from http://www.statsfiji.gov.fj/statistics/other-statistics/crimes-offences

9 Environmental Issues in Fiji. (April 17, 2014). Retrieved February 21, 2017 from http://www.education4sustainability.org/2014/07/18/environmental-sustainability-in-fiji/

10 Property Act in Fiji. (2014, December 11). Retrieved February 21, 2017 from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-12/foreigners-face-strict-new-fiji-land-ownership-laws/5962152.