MSME Council

As the Tourism Bill 2026 is now being tabled in Parliament, we reflect on the submissions made earlier this month by the MSME Council and the Women Entrepreneurs Business Council - WEBC under the Fiji Commerce & Employers Federation (FCEF) that was also supportd by other MSME Networks.

Our central message was simple:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐌𝐒𝐌𝐄𝐬 — 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰.

This Bill is significant because it is not merely replacing the old hotel licensing framework. For the first time, many small and emerging tourism operators — including homestays, village stays, farm stays, campsites, Airbnb-type accommodation, community tourism operators, cultural tourism providers and other tourism-relevant MSMEs — are being brought into a formal tourism regulatory framework.

That is a major step forward, but it must be done carefully.

In our submission, we highlighted the need for:
✅ simple and affordable registration;
✅ tiered rules based on business size, risk, location and capacity;
✅ MSME representation on the National Tourism Council;
✅ access to finance linked with business readiness and mentoring;
✅ stronger protection for Vanua-based and community tourism;
mediation and early dispute resolution before escalation.

The opportunity now is to ensure that the final law is practical, proportionate and enabling — a law that protects Fiji’s tourism standards while also helping small operators formalise, improve, access markets and grow sustainably.

𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐭.

Join Robert Cordwell — AI expert and practitioner — for a practical, no-fluff online workshop designed for business owners, family businesses, and leaders who want to actually use AI, not just talk about it.

​Robert will walk you through his favourite tools, the tricks that genuinely work, and the traps you'll want to avoid. Whether you're just getting started or already experimenting, this session will give you something you can put to work immediately.

​What you'll walk away with: → A clear picture of which AI tools are worth your time → Practical use cases for small and family businesses → Real shortcuts — and real warnings — from someone who uses these tools daily

​🌏 Why today?

​This workshop is part of Global AI Adoption Day™ (May 6, 2026) — a worldwide moment where organisations, communities, schools, and businesses come together around one question: How do we ensure AI benefits everyone? From the Pacific to Africa to Europe, today is about responsible adoption and bringing everyone along. We're proud to be part of it.

​📅 Today · 5:00 PM (UTC+12) 💻 Online via Google Meet · Free to attend 🔗 The Google Meet link will be sent to you upon registration 🤝 Hosted by Fiji Innovation Hub & DeepAI

​Open to business leaders, aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about what AI can do for them. All levels welcome.

🌊 Join us from anywhere in the Pacific — everyone is welcome, bring a friend.

REGISTER HERE: https://luma.com/njvjmp8d