| | FIJI SETS NEW BENCHMARK FOR JULY VISITOR ARRIVALS Maintaining what is shaping up to be Fiji tourism’s best ever year for international visitation, the destination has set a new four-year record for visitor arrivals for a month of July.
Figures released by Fiji’s Bureau of Statistics show the destination welcomed more than 66,500 visitors across the month, the result eclipsing the best ever July record set in 2006 – 59,645 - by more than 11 per cent.
The strong performance takes Fiji’s total visitor arrivals for the seven month period January to July to 339,056.
This in itself represents a 19 per cent increase over the 283,560 total achieved in 2009.
The 29,436 Australian total recorded for the month represented a 19 per cent increase on the 24,729 figure achieved for the same period in 2009.
New Zealand visitor intake again showed positive growth with a total of 13,949 Kiwis visiting across the month, that figure representing a 5.8 per cent growth over the 13,181 achieved for the same month in 2009.
US figures increased by five per cent while Canadian visitor arrivals showed positive growth for the first time this year with numbers increasing by five per cent.
Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto again pointed to the national tourist office and industry partners’ ongoing efforts to build Fiji’s profile in key emerging markets.
These, he said, were evidently paying off given visitor arrivals from China achieved a massive 149 per cent increase.
Taiwan business too grew by 45 per cent while visitor arrivals from India climbed by 15 per cent.
Traffic from the UK/Europe, he said, remained steady and stayed positive with a 0.7 per cent increase in traffic.
Mr Tuamoto said the destination was bracing itself for a very strong result from the region in August, the traditional holiday and travel month for much of the northern hemisphere.
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| | TOURISM FIJI APPOINTS GLOBAL DESTINATIONS AS INDIAN REPRESENTATIVE Tourism Fiji has announced the appointment of Global Destinations as its representative in India.
Announcing the move, Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said a main focus for company would be to promote ‘Destination Fiji’ within India, this assisting in helping to grow the leisure and MICE segment.
Global Destinations, he said, will also play a key role in helping to promote the Fiji Matai specialist program and support the travel trade via workshops and advertising campaigns.
With more than 25 years experience Global Destinations is high profile within the Indian travel trade and is seen to provide a good fit for the national tourist office’s aspirations in this important emerging market.
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| | TOURISM FIJI ENGAGES FIJI INDUSTRY WITH WEDDING WORKSHOP Part of an ongoing program to promote the benefits of the international wedding and honeymoon market to local partners Tourism Fiji recently organised a consultation workshop at the Novotel Nadi.
Key guests at the event were from the Registrar General’s office and Foreign Affairs who were on hand to assist the national tourist office with the workshop.
Officially opening the event, Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said the wedding/honeymoon market now represented one of the biggest sources of visitor arrivals for Fiji and it was critical that all components of the industry were working from the same page in order to fully benefit from this lucrative market source.
The main thrust of the program was both to ensure the local industry is working collectively in capturing this key market segment while at the same time ensuring everyone is fully aware of the actual wedding requirement and its processes within Fiji.
The workshop also served as an opportunity for the wedding industry to put in place a framework to identify and streamline the marriage documentation process while developing stronger working relationships with officials and industry counterparts.
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| | TOURISM FIJI ‘MILKS’ SOUTH KOREAN MARKET POTENTIAL  In what represents one of its biggest ever Fiji tourism marketing initiatives in the South Korean market to date, millions of South Koreans are now being exposed to the ‘Fiji message’ via a high profile promotional campaign.
The initiative is all part of a collaboration between the national tourist office and South Korea’s biggest dairy product company, Naming Milk & Beverage, which together have combined in a ‘Fiji fresh Expedition’ promotion to send a group of seven lucky winners – plus a national TV film crew – to sample the delights of a Fiji travel experience.
While in Fiji the group of seven winners took part in a host of activities all of which were designed to showcase Fiji’s ability to deliver a true and exciting holiday experience to every type of traveler – irrespective of taste or budget – with everything the group did captured by the two-man SBS (Korea) film crew.
These activities included a visit to Viseisei Village, the Sabeto mud pools and the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, a Jetboat experience with Adrenalin Fiji, a mini dive course with Aqua Trek Mana at Mana Island Resort, island sightseeing with Demar Charters, a swim/snorkel exploration of Monuriki Island, an MV ‘Sea Spray’ cruise, a shark dive with Aqua Trek Beqa and Zipline Fiji.
Other included a visit to the Arts Village Pacific Harbour to sample Fiji’s unique living culture first hand and a Naihehe Cave Tour at Sautabu village.
The promotion has also been featured across 120 South Korean media outlets including the popular Chosun, Dong-A, Joong-Ang, Women JoongAng and Women Chosun.
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| | FIJI TOURISM TEAM ATTENDS THREE KEY GUAM TRAVEL EVENTS Tourism Fiji in conjunction with Continental Airlines and local industry partners have driven the Fiji message home at three key travel events taking place in Guam this month.
Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said the decision to send the team to Guam was fully justified by the potential Continental Airlines’ services to Nadi via Guam offer to Fiji tourism.
This potential, he said, stemmed from both the huge number of resident US Army and Navy personnel resident there as well as in the key US and Japanese markets which the airline services via its Guam and Hawaii connections.
The national tourist office was joined in the exercise by Captain Cook Cruises and the Radisson Fiji Resort Denarau Island at the three events.
These included the 4th ‘Around the World at a Glance’ Travel Fair which is aimed squarely at the hundred thousands of US Navy personnel and their families.
This event was followed by the ‘2010 Annual Andersen Travel Fair’ which targets the large numbers of resident US Army personnel.
The Fiji tourism team also waved the Fiji flag at the ‘Guam Micronesian Island Fair’ Adding a musical element to the visit, the team was joined by Fiji’s internationally-renowned guitarist and singer Jale Mareau who has taken time out from his busy schedule to help spread the Fiji message and entertain the large crowds expected to attend all three events.
Mr Tuamoto said it was very important for Fiji to be as visible as possible at all three events given the evidence that visitor arrivals from both the US and Japanese markets had seen improvement since the commencement of Continental Airlines’ direct services.
For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee-Erasito at alee@tourismfiji.com.fj | |
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| | EUROPE FIJI ‘BULA BUS’  Turning plenty of heads and making a colourful impression on central European freeways, Tourism Fiji and industry partners jumped aboard a brightly decorated ‘Bula Bus’ complete with Fijian chef and serenaders this month to spread the ‘Bula’ spirit across Germany and the Czech Republic.
Blitzing Munich, Erfurt, Dresden, Berlin and the Czech capital Prague over a three-day period, Tourism Fiji was joined on board the bus by several of its Fiji-based industry colleagues.
These include Air Pacific, South Sea Cruises, Musket Cove Resort & Spa, Mana Island Resort & Spa, Sonaisali Island Resort, Blue Lagoon Cruises and Captain Cook Cruises.
The main thrust of the exercise was to develop new relationships with key travel sellers in both countries while at the same time updating the local industry on the huge number of progressive changes the destination has made in the last year.
The ‘Bula Bus’ tour also gave the opportunity for local travel agents to sample the latest developments on Fiji’s ever-changing food scene.
This was thanks to live cooking demonstrations provided by the on-board chef who cooked for guests while they were serenaded by Fijian musicians and singers.
The ‘Bula Bus’ tour also provided Tourism Fiji with an opportunity to recruit new Fiji Matai specialist agents as part of a Matai Academy running from 24-26 September in Berlin, Germany.
Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said the ‘Bula Bus’ tour was particularly timely given the recent increase in traffic from Europe which once again is beginning to show growth – up 2.46 per cent to 42,694 for the period January to July 2010.
Attributing this increase to the region’s slow but steady recovery from the Global financial crisis, Mr Tuamoto said the result was indicative of the impact Tourism Fiji’s marketing strategy is having across Europe in conjunction with ongoing strong support from its industry colleagues.
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| | OUR PACIFIC’S LESLEY SEIULI EARNS TF MATAI INCENTIVE PRIZE  Making 27 Fiji bookings for 59 clients across September has earned Our Pacific’s Lesley Seiuli a $100 Westfield shopping voucher from Tourism Fiji and the opportunity to win a seven-night Fiji holiday.
The voucher and Fiji holiday prize are part of the national tourist office’s ongoing Fiji Matai specialist agents' sales incentive which concludes at the end of October.
The winner of the grand prize - return airfares for two ex-Auckland, two nights at Musket Cove Island Resort & Marina Fiji, two nights at the Sheraton Fiji Resort & three nights at the Outrigger on the Lagoon - will be announced during the first week of November
For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji New Zealand Information Officer, Mr Esava Nadalo at info@tourismfijinz.com | |
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| | TOURISM FIJI OZ AMAZING ADVENTURE TRADE DAY Tourism Fiji Australia in cooperation with Air Pacific and its Australian wholesaler partners is staging a ‘Mega Educational’ for over 90 industry staffers in Fiji from 18 – 26 November 2010.
The aim of the event is to further build destination awareness among the Australian retail, trade and media.
Giving local partners the opportunity to become involved in the event, a key component of the overall exercise will be a trade day scheduled for 23 November when local industry representatives will have an opportunity to meet with the visiting agents.
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| | AON FIJI EXCELLENCE AWARDS The 14th annual AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards will take place on 25 February 2011 at the Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa.
More than 350 industry representatives and their guests are expected to attend the event, features of which will be a three-course dinner and live entertainment.
The 2011 event will feature two new awards – ‘Wine Waiter of the Year’ and ‘Barista of the Year’ – competition for which will take place at the Naviti Resort on 26 and 27 February 2011.
For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer and Aon Fiji Excellence Tourism Awards Secretariat, Ms Kelly Eastgate at keastgate@tourismfiji.com.fj | |
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| | TOURISM FIJI’S UPCOMING EVENTS:
Event | Dates | Contacts |
New Zealand Matai Family | 13 – 21 November 2010 | |
Australia Mega Famil 2010 | 18 – 26 November 2010 | |
USA Matai Family | 30th November – 7th December 2010 | |
World Travel Mart | 08 – 11 November 2010 | |
Sydney Adventure Travel & Backpacker Expo | 06 – 07 November 2010 | |
China International Travel Mart (CITM) | 18 – 21 November 2010 | |
Industry Day | 09th December | |
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| |  THANKING YOU KINDLY - SHANGRI-LA ‘S THE FIJIAN TO STAR IN TOP RATING AUSTRALIAN TV SHOW  Shangri-La’s The Fijian Resort and Spa will form a spectacular backdrop for one of Australia’s highest rating national TV shows, ‘Random Acts of Kindness’, when it goes to air nationally on 14 November.
The program centers on a well deserving couple being rewarded for their good deeds to others, in the community by being given the opportunity to get married in a tropical luxury paradise - Fiji.
Tourism Fiji Regional Director Australia Paresh Pant said the program provided a huge opportunity to showcase the expertise of Fiji’s renowned resort wedding capability.
“The kindness factor too fits in extremely well with the nature of the Fijian people who are renowned the world over for their kindness and generosity,” he said.
Launched in 2009 the program is an ongoing hit and regularly attracts an Australian audience in excess of 1.4 million.
For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director Australia, Mr Paresh Pant at ppant@tourismfijioz.com | |
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| | TAVEUNI PALMS LIFTS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL INDUSTRY ‘OSCAR’ IN DELHI Fiji’s Taveuni Palms Resort has been named as Australasia’s leading boutique resort at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2010 in Delhi, the event known as the ‘Oscars’ of world travel.
The award represents massive recognition for the resort with more than 185,000 industry professionals participating in the 2010 voting process which polled airlines, tourism associations, cruise lines, hotels and resorts located in 166 countries across seven continents.
The event also represented a benchmark occasion for Vatulele Island Resort which was named as Fiji’s leading resort for the second time since 2007.
The title for Fiji’s leading spa resort went to Namale Resort & Spa while the Intercontinental Golf Resort & Spa was recognised as Fiji’s leading golf resort.
Established 17 years ago, the World Travel Awards are committed to raising the standards of customer service and overall business performance throughout the international travel and hospitality industry.
The awards have been described as the ‘Oscars’ of travel by the renowned Wall Street Journal.
Winners of the Australasia regional ceremony will now go on to compete in the World Travel Awards 2010 Grand Final in London which takes place immediately before the World Travel Market kicks off on Sunday, 07 November.
For further information, contact the following persons:
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| | TOURISM HOLDINGS SELLS FIJI ASSETS Tourism Holdings has agreed to sell its transport and tourism businesses in Fiji to local interests.
The company’s Tourist Transport (Fiji) Ltd and Feejee Experience units are to be merged with a local company called Coral Sun (Fiji) Ltd, creating the island nation’s largest tourist transportation operator, it said in a statement.
Tourism Holdings’ 2009 annual report said the Fiji businesses were operating in a "difficult" environment after recent political issues and the January 2009 flood recovery."
However, according to senior management, following a resurgence in business, Tourism Holdings had achieved a solid 2009-2010 in local currency terms with 2010-2011 on track for further gains.
The sale is expected to settle at the end of the month with shares of Tourism Holdings holding unchanged at 80 cents. | |
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| | SOFITEL FIJI RESORT & SPA SPONSOR INAUGURAL JUNIOR ART CHALLENGE AND AUCTION  Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa recently staged an inaugural art auction and cocktail event as part of its sponsorship of the Sofitel Junior Art Challenge in aid of the ‘Cure Kids Fiji’ children’s charity.
Nine primary and secondary schools were selected from the Nadi district to participate in the event, the results of which were showcased alongside CreatiVITI’s main exhibition as part of the ‘Art on the island V’ festival held at the Denarau island resort.
A flagship cultural event, the ‘Art on the island V’ festival involves over thirty professional and emerging artists from around Fiji and this year featured a junior section featuring mural paintings by school children complementing a colourful display of over one hundred original works of art by CreatiVITI artists.
CreatiVITI is a membership-based organisation representing artists from across Fiji and home to Fiji's only pottery production studio, with showroom, mini-gallery and a crafts garden hosting demonstrations and classes.
The organisation specialises in custom ceramic commissions and promoting local artists paintings, pottery, drawings, sculpture, handicrafts, pottery classes CreatiVITI also runs kids craft activities, seasonal craft markets in addition to its annual art competition.
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| | SONAISALI BEEFS UP DINING OPPORTUNITIES  Sonaisali Island Resort has introduced a new dining outlet – The Poolside Grill.
Located on the white sandy area next to the ever popular Pool Bar, the Poolside Grill offers guests an alternate dining venue for lunch and dinner on a daily basis.
Managing Director, Aaron McGrath said the Poolside Grill offered the resort’s guests a more ‘al fresco’ and casual environment than its three other restaurants.
For further information, please contact Sonaisali’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Ms Karyn Blenkiron at sales@sonaisali.com | |
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| | TOKORIKI ISLAND RESORT FIRES UP HOTSPOTS While TV’s, clocks and telephones are nowhere to be found in Tokoriki Island Resort’s room and bures, the resort now boasts a Wi-Fi hotspot for those who need to keep in touch with the outside world.
The hotspots are located in the guest lounge, bar and pool area.
For further information, please contact Tokoriki Island Resort’s Director of Marketing, Ms Marina Musumeci at marketing@tokoriki.com | |
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| | NEW DIVE OPERATOR Safari Island Lodge has announced the opening of its new dive operation - Nananu-I-Ra Island RAKIRAKI.
Targeting Bligh Waters + Vatu-I-Ra Passage as its main areas, the operation can cater for up to 24 Divers with 80 Tanks available on two dive boats.
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| |  CAPTAIN COOK CRUISES LAUNCH NEW FIJI COCKTAIL CRUISE Captain Cook Cruises is offering a new Fiji Twilight Cocktail Cruise program departing from Denarau on board its luxurious catamaran ‘Fiji One’.
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| | VATULELE ISLAND RESORT LIFTS TRAVEL INDUSTRY ‘OSCAR’  For the second time in three years Vatulele Island Resort has been named Fiji’s leading resort at the 2010 World Travel Awards.
This is the second time the resort has lifted the prize having been named Fiji’s number one resort in 2007.
More than 185,000 industry professionals participated In the 2010 voting process which involved hotels and resorts located in 166 countries across seven continents.
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| | 2010 ANZ SPONSORED NADI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT STAKEHOLDERS VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT The 2010 Nadi International Airport Stakeholders Volleyball Tournament will take place on Friday, 05 November at Nadi’s AFL grounds.
More than 120 teams are expected to participate in the event which this year will be based on a ‘Sharing the Bula Spirit’ theme.
Established in 2004 to foster relationships and goodwill among the many organisations working at the airport, this year’s event is again being sponsored by ANZ and will feature three events – men’s, women’s and mixed teams.
For further information, please contact NIAS President Mr Joe Gray at joeg@afl.com.fj | |
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| | FIJI TO HOST 2011 NOMURA CUP Fiji will host the 2011 Asia Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) team championship, The Nomura Cup, from 16-19 August 2011, in the process becoming the first South Pacific island nation to stage the prestigious event.
A total of 14 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Cook Islands, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and Thailand will contest the trophy next year.
Venues for the event will be Denarau Island and the Vijay Singh-0designed Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course marking the first time the event has been played across different links in its 48-year history.
Announcing its decision to stage the event in Fiji, the world governing body of Golf, Royal & Ancient of Scotland (R&A) said the development of Natadola Bay and the Denarau golf courses and the increased interest in golf in the destination had been a catalyst for the decision to stage the event in Fiji. | |
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| | LIKULIKU COOKS UP A STORM WITH AUSTRALIAN CELEBRITY CHEF  Guests staying at Likuliku Lagoon Resort were recently treated to a culinary surprise when Australian celebrity chef Peter Gilmore visited the resort to host a special weekend of dinners and master classes.
Gilmore is the owner of high profile Sydney restaurant Quay which is listed in the number 27 spot on the San Pellegrino ‘World’s best 50 best restaurants’ list.
While at Likuliku Gilmore and his team used the freshest of local ingredients including freshly caught tuna provided by local fishermen just two hours before guests were due to sit down to dinner.
The resort has a strong connection to the Australian master chef, one of Gilmore’s former Sydney-based staff Chloe Kryskow now working at Likuliku.
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| | HOT FOOTING IT ON BOUNTY ISLAND  Bounty Island has launched a ticket-to-the-past cultural experience featuring the Mamanuca Island group’s first firewalking display.
The resort’s new cultural program - offered every Wednesday and Saturday - showcases the Firewalkers of Beqa, legendary for their ability to walk on white hot stones. Visitors also experience natural herbal medicines, indigenous dance, wood carving and traditional weaving as part of the cultural experience.
Much of the cultural experience is provided by Bounty Island’s Nakelo landowners, the direct descendants of the first Fijians.
The program is open to guests from all island resorts and all hotels on the mainland, as well as cruise ship passengers who often have limited free time to experience the local Fijian culture.
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| | PRIME MINISTER’S EXPORTER AWARDS An annual event organised by the Fiji Islands Trade and Investment Bureau (FTIB) to acknowledge and salute the achievements of Fiji ‘s exporters in the global trade arena and their contribution to the local economy, the Prime Minister’s ‘Exporter of the Year‘ Awards and gala dinner will be held at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa on Saturday, 20 November 2010.
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