Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation signs Letter of Agreement with Market Development Facility to strengthen Sustainable Tourism Growth

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝟒 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔: The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has formalised its continued partnership with the Australian Government’s Market Development Facility (MDF) through the signing of a Letter of Agreement (LOA), reaffirming a shared commitment to sustainable, inclusive and market-driven tourism development in Fiji.

The signing builds on a long-standing collaboration between the Fiji Government through the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation and MDF. The collaboration, which began under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2020 with the then Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism. While that agreement concluded in 2025, engagement between the Ministry and MDF continued to mature and reflected strong alignment in strengthening Fiji’s tourism market systems.

Tourism remains Fiji’s largest services export and a key driver of employment and private sector growth across urban and rural communities. As global tourism evolves with greater emphasis on sustainability, resilience and inclusivity. Fiji is positioning itself to ensure that sector growth remains balanced, responsible and community-focused.

The LOA aligns with the National Sustainable Tourism Framework 2024 – 2034 and focuses on strengthening collaboration in key priority areas, including:

● Community-Based Tourism, including support for the Vanua-Based Tourism Guidelines (VBTG) in partnership with the iTaukei Trust Fund Board

● Nautical Tourism Development, through the Tourism Hydrographic Taskforce (THT) to support mapping of new remote island regions including Fulaga in the Lau group.

● Sustainability and Evidence-Based Planning, including carrying capacity assessments for emerging tourism destinations

● Disability and Inclusive Tourism, promoting accessibility as both a development priority and market opportunity

The agreement also reinforces Fiji’s broader Vuvale Partnership with the Government of Australia, whose support through MDF continues to strengthen private sector participation and innovation within the tourism sector.

The Ministry looks forward to continued collaboration with MDF to deliver practical outcomes that benefit communities and support the long-term sustainability of Fiji’s tourism industry.

𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐒