New Zealand travel bubble

They're using the Cook Islands' successful two-way safe-travel-bubble with Aotearoa as a template.

But not all are convinced.

Taufua Sili Apelu would love to see his regular New Zealand guests returning to his beach fale accommodation on Upolu's stunning southcoast at Lalomanu.

It's been a tough few years for Taufua Beach Fales - tourism took a hit with the measles epidemic in late 2019 before being finished off by COVID the following year.

There is no domestic market for their once flourishing business.

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated economies around the world but Fiji has been hit particularly hard by international travel bans.

Figures from June showed more than 100,000 people were no longer employed due to the tourism standstill.

Jessie McComb, a senior tourism expert with the International Finance Corporation, said tourism operators in Fiji are already preparing to welcome tourists back.