Tourism Fiji shows Asian travelers how hard it is to look sad in a place where happiness comes naturally in latest campaign

While the world has come to know Fiji as a wholesome family-friendly destination with breathtaking beauty and cultural richness, Tourism Fiji’s goal is to demonstrate that there is much more to the experience than just tranquil beaches. Fiji is a destination for all types of travelers seeking a range of experiences, but what will capture their hearts is the undeniable, contagious happiness that they’ll feel from the moment they arrive.

 

The new campaign, created by Havas Host Sydney, recently launched in the Asian market. Titled ‘Happy Passports’, the films follow two people who know this all too well: Ana, a customs officer at Fiji’s international airport, and Viliame, a local passport photographer. Both have noticed a curious phenomenon: it’s hard to look sad in a place where happiness comes naturally. Ana and Viliame’s playful interactions with visitors and locals alike highlight the difficulty of maintaining a serious expression in a place as joyous as Fiji.

“It’s well known that everybody hates their passport photos as we’re all made to look sombre and serious which is the complete opposite to how you’ll feel when you leave Fiji,” said Sebastian Vizor, Executive Creative Director at Havas Host, Sydney. “After just a few days in Fiji amongst the warmth of the people, the rich cultural or the incredible landscape, we noticed people found it almost impossible not to be happy.”

Tourism Fiji CMO Srishti Narayan, said: “Fiji’s warmth and playfulness is infectious – it’s a feeling that visitors often say stays with them after they leave. Where Happiness Comes Naturally has performed exceptionally well for us globally and with the next iteration, we wanted to celebrate the playful, cheeky side of Fijian culture that leaves travelers feeling lighter and more joyful. It’s a fun reminder that Fiji isn’t just about the stunning scenery—it’s about the joy and warmth you feel from our people and traditions, and the authentic experiences you can have here. We hope it inspires traveler’s from around the world to come and experience it for themselves.”

The campaign launched yesterday in Mandarin, Cantonese, English and Japanese. It’s part of a comprehensive global media strategy, spanning OLV, website, audio, and social media in Fiji’s Asian key source markets. It will direct audiences to the Tourism Fiji website (fiji.travel) for English speaking travelers in Asia, (visitfiji.jp) for Japanese travelers and (visitfiji.cn) for Cantonese and Chinese speaking travelers. There they can explore the wide range of experiences Fiji offers and discover why it’s the perfect destination to bring a smile to every Asian visitor.

Credits
Client: Tourism Fiji
Agency: Havas Host, Sydney
Media: Havas Media Network, Sydney
Production
Director: Paul Middleditch
Aus Production company: Plaza
Fiji Production company: Welcome Fiji
Post production: Heckler
Colourist: Ferg Rotherham
Music composition and sound design: MassiveMusic Sydney
Aus Casting: Mackintosh Casting 
Fiji Casting: Welcome Fiji