Clever reason Aussies are visiting this nation, saving them hundreds of dollars

Aussies heading off overseas are stopping by this Pacific nation and it is saving them hundreds of dollars.

Australians travelling to Canada have found a clever way to get a much cheaper airfare, and it involves a visit to a tropical paradise.

Adding a stopover in Fiji can slash the cost of travel, compared to booking a direct flight.

Corporate Traveller told news.com.au its fare analysis showed flights from Sydney to Vancouver in November with a Fiji stopover were available from $894, but a direct flight from Sydney to Vancouver in the same month was advertised for more than double that at $1982.

With an Australian passport, you do not need a tourist visa in Fiji for stays of less than four months.

Australians travelling to North America have found a clever way to get a much cheaper airfare by flying via Fiji. Picture: istock

Corporate Traveller global managing director Tom Walley said while typically business travellers prioritise the quickest and most direct routes, there is a growing trend in stopping over in Fiji on the way to Canada for both significant financial savings and an opportunity to embrace the “bleisure” trend – where business travellers add some leisure travel to a work trip.

“This makes it a highly economical choice for businesses looking to manage travel expenses effectively, while giving their teams the opportunity to take some downtime,” Mr Walley said.

“With optimised flight durations and reduced layover times, Fiji serves as an efficient transit point for those who want to keep on the move.”

More than 40,000 Australians visited Fiji in August. Picture: iStock

Flight Centre Corporate, which encompasses Corporate Traveller, has tripled the volume of bookings that include a stopover in Nadi on the way to Vancouver in the current quarter (Q3 2024) compared to the same period in the year previous (Q3 2023).

Australians are Fiji’s top foreign visitors.

There were more than 40,000 Australian visitors to Fiji in August, according to the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

There were 434,533 Aussie visitors for the entire year last year, up from 345,149 in 2022 and also an increase on pre-pandemic numbers (367,020 in 2019).