Fiji's Tourism Sector Welcomes Tourism Tax Clarification
The tax will support Fiji Airways and apply only to new bookings, after industry backlash over plans to charge travelers retroactively.
- On Tuesday, the Fijian Government confirmed its new 5% Tourism Services Tax will apply only to bookings made from September 1, 2026, eliminating plans for retrospective charges on previously settled trips.
- Retrospective billing sparked significant pushback from the Australian Travel Industry Association , with CEO Dean Long calling the policy a "fundamental misunderstanding of how the travel booking ecosystem operates."
- Supporting Fiji Airways, the tax applies to accommodation, tour, and cruise operators with an annual turnover exceeding FJ$2 million, who must collect the 5 percent fee from customers.
- Flight Centre global managing director Andrew Stark advised travellers to factor the tax into holiday budgets, even as industry leaders celebrated the removal of retrospective fees.
- The Fijian Government agreed to a 12-month trial for the TST, concluding August 31, 2027, when officials will re-evaluate the legislation to determine whether the tax structure remains necessary.
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The Examiner
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New tourism tax in Fiji to apply only to new bookings from September 1
In a major relief to the travel and tourism industry in Fiji, the Fijian government has confirmed that a new tourism tax will apply only to fresh tourism bookings made on and after September 1, providing greater certainity to visitors and tourism operators. In a press statement, Fiji government says that bookings made before September 1 will not be subject to TST, even where the tourism service is provided after that date. This provides certaint…
FHTA welcomes tst exemption for existing bookings
The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association welcomes the government’s confirmation that the Tourism Services Tax will now apply only to bookings made on or after 1 September exempting existing bookings from the tax. FHTA chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington says this is they have been asking for since consultations began after the announcement of the […]
Gov't urges rollout of Fiji Airways support levy
Fiji's government has urged tour operators to implement a temporary 5% tourism services tax from September 1, 2026, accusing the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) and some industry players of delaying its rollout. Implementation had already been postponed from July 1 to August 1, and then September 1, to allow businesses more time to prepare. The 12-month levy, introduced to support Fiji Airways (FJ, Nadi), applies to eligible tourism bu…
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