Travelers participating in Tourism Fiji’s Loloma Hour can now leave their vacation destination better than they found it.
Rooted in the Fijian concept of loloma, which emphasizes love, generosity and selflessness, the new program invites tourists to dedicate just one hour of their trip to hands-on volunteer work that preserves Fiji’s natural beauty and strengthens its local communities. Loloma Hour activities range from reef conservation and wildlife protection to language lessons and cultural immersion experiences across the Fijian islands.
“The beauty of Loloma Hour is in its simplicity, yet the collective impact can be remarkable,” said Srishti Narayan, chief marketing officer of Tourism Fiji. “One hour might seem small, but when multiplied by thousands of travelers over time, it becomes powerful.”
It’s a small commitment with a lofty goal: to transform travel from something that takes into something that gives back. The Loloma Hour initiative reflects the Fijian value of vanua — the interconnectedness of people, the land and the community. It aims to allow visitors to engage in a true cultural exchange while giving back to the place they are staying.
Loloma Hour is run through Tourism Fiji partners — primarily resorts and third-party tour operators. A visitor can spend an hour as a coral gardener at Six Senses Fiji, assisting with coral planting and learning about reef restoration; join a shark dive at Barefoot Kuata Island Resort while participating in marine conservation; or plant mangroves at Shangri-La Yanuca Island, contributing to coastal reforestation and supporting endangered species. These activities, led by conservation experts, are designed to be hands-on and educational but also provide tangible benefits to local ecosystems.
“Loloma Hour is the destination’s long-term commitment to helping travelers see themselves as part of something bigger: a shared responsibility for the places we explore,” Narayan said. “These immersive experiences provide travelers with education about Fiji's ecosystems and cultural heritage, while helping preserve Fiji’s natural beauty and promoting sustainable tourism growth.”
Tourism Fiji is not the first destination to weave volunteer work into its tourism strategy. In 2020, the Hawaii Visitors and Conventions Bureau launched its Malama Hawaii program, offering visitors a discounted or free night at a partnering hotel or resort in exchange for their participation in a volunteer activity. These activities range from beach cleanups to gardening, focusing mainly on environmental conservation.
While the Loloma Hour offers some similar programs, it also conveys the importance of conserving and uplifting Fijian culture. Across the islands, participating resorts and operators offer Fijian cooking classes, village visits, storytelling and more.
“In just 60 minutes, guests can take part in cultural exchanges that support local artisans and deepen their understanding of Fijian traditions,” Narayan said. “Loloma Hour encourages travelers to engage in meaningful ways that reflect the Fijian way of life, embodying the spirit of giving back to the land and people.”
Tourism Fiji hopes this program will advance the destination’s long-term sustainability goals while promoting meaningful, sustainable tourism growth. In Loloma Hour’s first year, Tourism Fiji hopes to contribute 5,000 volunteer hours to conservation initiatives in Fiji.
“Over the longer term, this could have a really meaningful impact on our environment and communities while offering guests an authentic, meaningful and enriching experience,” Narayan said.
Tourism Fiji also hopes that through their participation in Loloma Hour, travelers will feel motivated to adopt responsible tourism practices and a sense of shared stewardship for the spaces they occupy around the world. The initiative reminds visitors that even small gestures can have a lasting impact.
“If the destination can inspire similar programs in neighboring island nations, then together, they all can protect the very things that draw travelers in the first place: the culture, the people and the natural environment,” Narayan said.
