A well-known movie character and Fiji voyager has bobbed up in Tourism Fiji’s latest campaign. Castaway’s Wilson will star in ‘Wilson’s Happily Ever After‘, showing the iconic volleyball, err, having a ball in Fiji.
And Aussies can get in on the action. To support the new campaign, Tourism Fiji has launched three Wilsons to wash up across three iconic Australian beaches: Bondi (NSW), St Kilda (Vic), and Gold Coast Main Beach (Qld), each carrying a Fiji trip.
The search kicks off today, 24 July 2025, from 6am (AEST) and the first beachgoers to locate a Wilson will win their own Fiji getaway by scanning the volleyball’s QR code.
The short film shows Wilson’s adventures over the past 25 years since Castaway, also starring Tom Hanks, was released.
Wilson’s return reintroduces audiences to one of pop culture’s most unlikely and beloved icons, whose story first captured hearts in a classic island survival story filmed in Fiji.
Thought to be lost forever, Wilson has been discovered right where his story began.
Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill, who announced he is stepping down in August 2025, said the tribute is a celebration of Wilson’s enduring appeal and Fiji’s spirit of happiness as the island nation saw record visitation in 2024.
“Wilson’s story is one that has stuck with so many for 25 years. He’s the volleyball that broke hearts around the world,” Hill said.
“So, when we realised it had been a quarter century since he was last seen drifting out at sea, we thought what better time to give Wilson the ending he deserves? And not only did he survive, he’s thriving, making friends and even playing volleyball again.
“The short video is a way of giving fans a little closure and celebrating the heart that makes Fiji so special, where Wilson has found his happily ever after, where happiness comes naturally,” he said.
For more info, head to fiji.travel
