1. Could you begin by explaining Nadi’s role within Fiji’s economy?
Nadi is much more than Fiji’s tourism gateway. It is one of the country’s most important centres of commerce, aviation, hospitality, construction, retail, transport and international business.
Nadi International Airport connects Fiji with major markets across Australia, New Zealand, North America, Asia and the Pacific. Around this gateway is a rapidly expanding commercial corridor extending from Nadi Town through Martintar, Namaka, the airport area and into Denarau. It supports hotels, restaurants, tour operators, retailers, financial services, property development and thousands of jobs.
The Fiji Bureau of Statistics identified approximately 2,840 registered establishments in the combined Nadi–Sigatoka area in its 2024 Experimental Statistical Business Register. That demonstrates the depth of commercial activity in Fiji’s western tourism belt. Nadi also connects visitors and trade to the Mamanuca and Yasawa islands and to other parts of the Western Division.
Nadi therefore has both a national and regional responsibility. When Nadi performs strongly, the benefits extend to farmers, transport providers, tourism operators, artisans and suppliers throughout Fiji.
2. What role does the Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry play in supporting the local business community?
The Nadi Chamber of Commerce and Industry serves as a bridge between the business community, government, municipal authorities, statutory organisations and development partners.
Our role is to listen to businesses, represent their concerns constructively and help create conditions in which enterprises can confidently invest, employ people and expand. This includes advocating for better infrastructure, clearer and more efficient regulatory processes, fair commercial policies, business education and meaningful public-private dialogue.
We also want to strengthen entrepreneurs through networking, information-sharing, training and exposure to new markets. Programmes on tariff literacy, compliance, digital transformation, financial management and export readiness can help businesses make more informed decisions.
NCCI’s approach is based on partnership. The private sector and government may have different responsibilities, but we share the same national objective: a stronger economy that creates employment and improves the lives of our people.
3. Tourism is central to Nadi’s economy. How can Fiji ensure that tourism generates greater local economic value?
Tourism is the foundation of much of Nadi’s economy. In 2025, Fiji received a record 986,367 visitors and generated provisional tourism earnings of approximately FJ$2.814 billion. In July 2026, the country welcomed 105,791 visitors, the first time Fiji’s monthly arrivals exceeded 100,000. These are significant achievements for a small island economy.
The benefits are visible throughout Nadi. Tourism supports accommodation providers, restaurants, retailers, taxis, tour operators, event companies, laundries, construction businesses and food suppliers. However, we must ensure that more of each tourism dollar circulates within the local economy.
Hotels and tourism operators can deepen their relationships with Fijian farmers, fishers, manufacturers, artists and small businesses. We should also develop more cultural, culinary, sporting, medical, wellness, conference and community-based tourism experiences. This would encourage visitors to stay longer, spend more locally and return.
Our objective should not simply be higher visitor numbers. It should be greater value, stronger local participation, better jobs and tourism growth that respects our environment and communities.
4. What improvements would make Fiji’s business environment more attractive and competitive?
Fiji must make it simpler, faster and more predictable to establish, operate and expand a legitimate business.
Digital initiatives such as businessNOW Fiji are positive steps towards integrated government services. The next priority must be consistent implementation, reasonable processing times and greater coordination among the agencies responsible for registrations, permits, utilities, taxation and compliance.
For Nadi, reliable infrastructure is essential. Priorities include water and wastewater capacity, drainage and flood mitigation, roads, traffic management, public transport, electricity reliability, digital connectivity, waste management and climate-resilient development. These services must keep pace with the rapid growth of tourism, housing and commercial investment.
Access to finance remains another major concern, especially for smaller businesses without substantial collateral. We welcome initiatives supporting peer-to-peer lending, equity crowdfunding and alternative business funding. These must be accompanied by financial education, suitable consumer protections and practical assistance for entrepreneurs seeking investment.
Good regulation should protect the public while enabling honest businesses to grow. Greater certainty and efficiency would reduce costs and make Fiji more competitive.
5. How important are SMEs and entrepreneurship to Fiji’s economic future?
Micro, small and medium enterprises are central to Fiji’s economic future. Fiji’s national MSME strategy states that approximately 50,000 MSMEs contribute about 18 per cent of GDP and provide around 60 per cent of employment. They are also a major source of opportunity for women, young people and rural communities.
Their greatest challenges include access to affordable finance, high operating costs, limited collateral, compliance complexity, shortages of skilled workers and difficulty reaching larger domestic and international markets.
Yet these businesses have enormous potential. Fiji can diversify through agribusiness, food processing, technology, creative industries, renewable energy, specialised manufacturing, health services and experience-based tourism.
We need affordable finance, mentoring, digital skills, incubation programmes and procurement policies that give capable local businesses a fair opportunity. We should also help informal businesses enter the formal economy through simple registration and supportive guidance.
Every large Fijian company began as a smaller enterprise. Supporting today’s entrepreneurs means building tomorrow’s employers and exporters.
6. Nadi International Airport is Fiji’s principal international gateway. How can Nadi build on this position?
Nadi International Airport is one of Fiji’s most valuable national assets. It does not only bring tourists into the country; it connects Fiji’s people, exporters and businesses with the world and positions Nadi as an aviation hub for the wider Pacific.
Direct connectivity with Los Angeles and San Francisco gives Fiji an important link with California, while services throughout Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific allow Nadi to function as a regional connecting point. Fiji Airways’ expanding international profile has strengthened this position considerably.
The airport’s success must be supported by infrastructure outside its boundaries. Visitors and investors form their first impression of Fiji when they arrive in Nadi. Roads, traffic management, drainage, public spaces, signage, security and commercial services must therefore meet international standards.
There are also opportunities to expand airfreight, aircraft maintenance, aviation training, logistics, regional corporate services and airport-related development. With coordinated planning, Nadi can become not only the place through which people enter Fiji but the Pacific location where businesses choose to establish themselves.
7. Beyond tourism, which sectors offer opportunities for international investors in Nadi and Fiji?
Nadi offers international investors a unique combination of connectivity, a strategic Pacific location, an English-speaking workforce, a respected tourism brand and access to regional markets.
Investment opportunities extend beyond traditional tourism. They include renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, healthcare, education, information technology, business-process outsourcing, food processing, agriculture, logistics, aviation services, manufacturing and property development. Investment Fiji has identified services, tourism, energy, construction, manufacturing, agriculture and BPO among the sectors attracting international interest.
However, the best investment is responsible investment, investment that creates quality employment, transfers skills, respects the environment, works with local suppliers and remains committed to Fiji over the long term.
NCCI can help by connecting credible investors with local partners, explaining Nadi’s commercial environment and providing a private-sector perspective on opportunities and challenges. We want investors to view Nadi as a reliable base from which to serve Fiji and the wider Pacific.
8. How important are the United States and California to Fiji’s future trade, tourism and investment relationships?
The United States is an important partner for Fiji, and California is especially significant because of direct air connectivity, its large Pacific Island community and its strength in tourism, technology, healthcare, education, agriculture, entertainment and sustainable investment.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, two-way goods trade between Fiji and the United States totalled approximately US$329 million in 2025, about US$122 million in U.S. exports to Fiji and US$207 million in imports from Fiji. This gives us a solid foundation, but the relationship has considerable room to grow.
Fiji can increase its visibility in California by promoting premium tourism, bottled water, kava products that meet regulatory requirements, garments, cosmetics, processed foods, creative products and other distinctive Fijian exports. American companies can contribute expertise and investment in clean energy, digital services, healthcare, aviation, education and climate-resilient infrastructure.
The United States and Fiji already have a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, which provides a platform for deeper dialogue. We would welcome stronger relationships between NCCI and chambers of commerce in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California, including business missions, investment forums and direct business-to-business engagement.
9. What is your vision for Nadi and Fiji’s private sector over the coming years?
My vision is for Nadi to become the Pacific’s most welcoming, well-connected and resilient small-city business hub, a place where local entrepreneurs can succeed and international investors can participate with confidence.
Our priorities at NCCI include stronger advocacy, closer engagement with government, support for SMEs, better business education and greater international networking. We also want development to be properly planned. Nadi needs infrastructure that anticipates future growth instead of continually responding after capacity has been exceeded.
We want a cleaner, safer and more attractive Nadi, supported by modern roads, improved drainage and wastewater systems, reliable utilities, efficient public services and climate-resilient infrastructure. We must also protect our environment and ensure development benefits ordinary families and communities.
Nadi’s greatest strength is its people. We are multicultural, entrepreneurial and naturally welcoming. If we combine those qualities with modern infrastructure and consistent policies, Nadi can become an even more dynamic gateway between Fiji, the Pacific and the world.
10. What would you like to say to Los Angeles Times readers considering a visit, investment or business relationship with Fiji?
To the readers of the Los Angeles Times, I extend a warm invitation to discover Fiji, not only as a beautiful destination, but as a country of talented people, credible businesses and growing opportunities.
Nadi is where Fiji welcomes the world. It is a town shaped by tourism, trade, aviation and the warmth of its communities. Whether you come as a visitor, investor, business partner or friend, you will find a nation that values relationships and welcomes genuine collaboration.
The distance between California and Fiji is measured in miles, but direct connectivity and our strong people-to-people relationships have brought us much closer. We invite you to visit us, engage with our entrepreneurs, explore our investment opportunities and experience the hospitality for which Fiji is known.
Our message is simple: Nadi is open for responsible business, open for partnership and always ready to welcome you with the spirit of Bula.
