The president of the Suva Retailers Association, Himmat Lodhia, says extended shop trading hours bring Fiji into line with major tourist destinations around the world.
The Government announced yesterday that retailers could now stay open until 9 p.m seven days a week, while special 24 hour trading zones are to be allowed in Nadi and Suva and nightclubs can have licences extended to five in the morning.
Mr Lodhia says the changes do away with archaic laws and will provide the sort of shopping opportunities available in places like Hawaii, the Bahamas and Bali.
He says the 24 hour zones are aimed at transitting tourists.
"If they have just 24 hours to stay they can go and visit pubs or go to nighclubs and do some shopping if they want, and the next day they can be back on their flights. Mainly for transitting people or a lot of tourists who like to spend their mornings relaxing and the leisure hours are open for shopping. We find that this is a trend in most tourist destinations."