FIJI CONTINUES STRONG START TO 2010

Topping off a strong January performance Fiji’s international visitor arrivals for February and March have again increased substantially according to figures released by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

The official statistics released show a total of 35,010 international visitors arrived throughout February, this figure representing an 11.5 per cent increase over the 31,386 total recorded for the same period in 2009. While March figures show a total of 46,750 international visitors representing a 29.4 per cent increase over the 35,999 total recorded in March 2009.

Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Officer Josefa Tuamoto said the destination’s achievements could be largely attributed to the success of its regional offices and industry partners in several key markets via an ongoing series of strategic marketing campaigns.

Australia and New Zealand, he said, were again the top two performers in terms of actual numbers of people visiting for the record first quarter performance for 2010.

For the first quarter (January – March) The Australian figures reached 57,009 , a 53.9 per cent increase over the 37,053 figure recorded in 2009.

New Zealand numbers (January – March) from 9,913 to 13,441 – an increase of 35.6 percent.

While base visitor figures in Fiji’s targeted emerging markets remain relatively small, Mr Tuamoto said he was very happy with marked increases in the numbers emanating from China, Taiwan and South Korea.

The three countries showed respective increases of 77.5% per cent, 86.8% per cent and 49.2 per cent for the first quarter.

The visit to India by Minister for Tourism Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum who personally led a Fijian tourism industry team to the sub-continent in early February also seems to have had an impact with Indian visitor arrivals jumping 94.2 per cent for the first quarter.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Manager Fiji, Ms Fane Vave at fvave@tourismfiji.com.fj

TOURISM FIJI APPOINT NEW MARKETING OFFICERS

Tourism Fiji has appointed two new marketing officers Mr Iowane Naivalurua (left) and Kiniviliame Raicebe (right) who have just completed their six months Graduate Trainee scheme with Tourism Fiji.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Manager Fiji, Ms Fane Vave via email at fvave@tourismfiji.com.fj

FIJI ISLANDS BACKPACKER FORUM 2010: “EMBRACING UNITY TO FACE THE NEW BUDGET TRAVELLER”

Attorney General and Minister for Tourism Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum will officially open the Fiji Islands Backpacker Forum which is to take place on Friday, 30th April 2010 at the Nomads Skylodge Hotel Nadi.

The forum is seen as an opportunity for the backpacker industry to establish and further develop good working relationships with government, key stakeholders and partners in creating an atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to work together.

The Forum is scheduled to take place over the entire day, commencing with registration from 8.00 AM and rounding off with an official dinner. More than 100 participants representing the backpacker market are expected to attend the event.

International keynote speakers include Jeff Jarvis, Tourism Research Unit from Monash University, Australia and website expert Damien Gallagher, from Melbourne.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer, Ms Kesaia Marau at kmarau@tourismfiji.com.fj

TOURISM FIJI DUBAI-BOUND TO ATTEND ARABIAN TRAVEL MART

Tourism Fiji will be participating in the Arabian Travel Mart (ATM) to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Centre from 04-08 May 2010, with wholesale partner Apollo Flight Centre.
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Regularly attended by more than 2100 exhibitors from 69 countries, ATM is regarded as the most comprehensive exhibition of its type in the Middle East for the last 16 years.

Exhibitors include national tourist offices, accommodation and venue providers, airlines, cruise companies, tourist attractions and tourism technology companies.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer, Mr. Iowane Naivalurua via email at inaivalurua@tourismfiji.com.fj or Manager Fiji, Ms Fane Vave at fvave@tourismfiji.com.fj

EUROPE BULA BUS AND MATAI ACADEMY TRAINING, SEPTEMBER 2010

Tourism Fiji, airline and industry partners will be holding a ‘Matai academy’ training course at the Estrel Hotel and Convention Centre in Berlin from 24 – 26 September 2010.

The main thrust of the program is to educate 80 targeted travel agents and recruit them as Matai specialists and experts in selling Fiji as an attractive single destination.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s senior marketing officer, Mr Thomas Valentine via email at tvalentine@tourismfiji.com.fj

WORLD TRAVEL MART NOVEMBER 2010 – REGISTRATION COMMENCES

Tourism Fiji will be represented at the World Travel Mart 2010 from 08 – 11 November at the London-based Excel Centre.

The four-day event provides the national tourist office and its partners with a unique opportunity to meet and network with key players in the global trade industry under one massive roof.

For further information and details, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer, Ms Kelly Eastgate via email at keastgate@tourismfiji.com.fj

JETSTAR’S FIRST FLIGHT LANDS IN FIJI

Offering further opportunity for Fiji’s tourism industry within the lucrative Australian marketplace, Jetstar’s inaugural flight from Sydney landed at Nadi International Airport on 29 March.

The airline’s venture into Fiji brings to four the number of airlines now servicing the route from Australia.

Tourism Fiji Regional Director Australia Paresh Pant has roundly applauded the new service announcement stating that the Jetstar flights would play a major role in enabling even more Australians to visit Fiji.

“The airline’s decision spells particularly good news for Tourism Fiji’s aspirations in Australia and will undoubtedly accelerate our steadily growing visitor numbers,” he said.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Public Relations Consultant, Mr Mike Parker Brown on mikeparkerbrown@aapt.net.au

AUS, UK AND US AGENTS TO JOIN ‘ROMANCE ME’ FAMIL SET FOR JUNE

Following recent wedding seminars held in Australia in April, Tourism Fiji will invite top wedding specialists from Australia, North America and United Kingdom for a week-long educational familarisation to Fiji from 02 – 09 June 2010.

The educational will commence with a trade day at Plantation Island Resort where industry partners will have the opportunity to showcase their products. This will be followed by a broad ranging familiarisation involving several hotels and resorts across the destination where agents will be able to sample firsthand the products and services Fiji has to offer to the international wedding and honeymoon market.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s marketing officer, Ms Inise Mucunabitu at imucunabitu@tourismfiji.com.fj

FIJI TO WOO NZ ROMANTIC TRAVEL MARKET AT KEY AUCKLAND BRIDE & GROOM SHOW

Tourism Fiji and several industry partners will be promoting Fiji as ‘the ultimate wedding and honeymoon destination’ for couples at the Bride & Groom Show to be held at the Auckland’s Ellerslie Event Centre on 02 May 2010.

More than 160 exhibitors are expected to attend the event which has been running for 15 years and regarded as a ‘must see’ for couples planning their special day.

Fiji industry partners attending include Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa, Mana Island Resort & Spa, Sonaisali Island Resort, Paradise Brides, Blue Lagoon Cruises, Coconuts & Corals, Musket Cove Island Resort and Fiji’s national airline, Air Pacific.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Marketing Officer, Ms Ragigia Dawai via email at ragigia@bulafiji.co.nz

TOURISM FIJI TO HOLD ‘MARRY ME’ SEMINAR IN NEW ZEALAND

Tourism Fiji’s New Zealand regional office is organising a “Marry Me’ seminar to be held in the key regional centres of Nelson, Palmerston North, Tauranga and also Auckland from 03-06 May 2010.

The workshop is designed to provide Tourism Fiji’s NZ trade partners with the tools required to sell Fiji as a premium wedding and honeymoon destination for the Kiwi market.

For further information and details on the workshop, please contact Tourism Fiji’s New Zealand Regional Marketing Officer, Ms Ragigia Dawai via email at Ragigia@bulafiji.co.nz

LARGE NUMBERS OF DIVERS TO SUBMERGE THEMSELVES IN FIJI DIVE FIESTA 2010

Further underlining Fiji’s diversity and the unique attributes that the country offers the international SCUBA dive market, the 2010 Fiji Dive Fiesta will be hosted in Savusavu and Taveuni from the 22 – 28 May

Sponsored by Tourism Fiji, Air Pacific and FIHTA Dive Committee, the event is expected to attract large numbers of international dive specialists, tour consultants, wholesalers as well as several media.

Vanua Levu, including Taveuni, account for almost 30 per cent of all dedicated dive visits to Fiji while the Pacific Coast on Viti Levu attracts around 27 per cent.

However several other regions, and particularly Kadavu which sits on the Astrolabe reef, the world’s third largest, are also beginning to draw large numbers of divers keen to explore what has become known as the ‘soft coral capital of the world’.

For more information please contact Tourism Fiji’s Senior Marketing Officer

Thomas Valentine at tvalentine@tourismfiji.com.fj

FIJI WORKSHOP A SUCCESS IN BEIJING

Tourism Fiji and participating partners including Mana island Resort & Spa, Sonaisali Island Resort, Warwick Fiji Resort and Spa, Rosie Holidays, Tour Managers and wholesaler, China Environmental International Travel Service represented Fiji in the Beijing workshop, held at the Marriot Hotel on the 23rd March 2010.

A new concept was introduced at the workshop whereby previous visitors to Fiji were invited to share their holiday experiences. The workshop was attended by approximately 220 travel trade partners and also included media companies such as Trade Magazine, Beijing TV and largest web port website sohu.com who contributed to the success of the workshop.

For more information, please contact Adeline Lee-Erasito at alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

FIJI CONTINUES TO WOO CHINESE TRAVELLERS

GUANGZHOU INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FAIR The Travel Fair held at the Guangzhou Jinhan Exhibition Centre from the 25th – 27th March 2010 attracted trade partners from Southern Regions which covers Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. Industry partners included Mana Island Resort & Spa, Sonaisali Island Resort, Tour Managers, Rosie Holidays and Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa. Tourism Fiji took advantage of the opportunity in Guangzhou and conducted a workshop, held at the China Hotel on the 25th March 2010. With over 120 attending agents and wholesale partners, Shenzhen Top Tours, Tourism Fiji and its participating local industry partners presented Fiji as a perfect holiday destination with one return Hong Kong / Nadi ticket as an award. The trip was complemented with Tourism Fiji’s meeting with CNN in Hong Kong to discuss further opportunities in promoting Fiji in Asia. For further information, please contact Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee-Erasito at alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

CULTURE FOR KIDS, CHILL-OUT FOR PARENTS WITH ALL DAY ‘MEIMEIS’ AT OUTRIGGER FIJI

A nanny service which provides holidaying parents with affordable child care eight hours a day has been introduced at Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji.

The Meimei Nanny Service gives children aged two to 12 years four consecutive days of personalised care for up to eight hours a day from just FJD 240.

Outrigger on the Lagoon general manager Peter Hopgood said a focus of the service was to introduce children to the beauty and warmth of Fijian culture by providing one-on-one care.

`Meimei is a local word meaning `to take care of’ and we believe the service will enhance the holiday experience of our young guests,” he said.

Daily Meimei activities include learning Fijian arts and crafts, being taught traditional fishing methods and basic language lessons.

For additional information visit www.outriggerfiji.com

J.HUNTER PEARLS TO FEATURE IN PRESTIGIOUS GELLNER “YOU ROCK” PRESENTATION

Fiji’s world famous J. Hunter Fiji Pearls has announced its foray into the world of men’s fashion with the introduction of a new line of jewellery comprising black brilliant-cut diamonds and colourful Fiji pearls.

The “You Rock” collection has been launched by J.Hunter Pearls auction client Jorg Gellner with support from world famous super model, Marcus Schenkenberg.

The “You Rock” collection has been designed for the Savusavu company by internationally renowned Mark Hollander. For further information, visit www.pearlsfiji.com

RADISSON RESORT FIJI APPOINTS NEW DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island is delighted to announce the appointment of Shashita Nand as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Shashita brings considerable experience to the role, having worked for more than 12 years in the hotel and tourism industry. During this time, she has worked with resorts in Fiji, Tahiti, Thailand, North America and Australia.

A Fijian national, Shashita most recently was Director of Sales Leisure - Australia and New Zealand for Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island, Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti and Radisson Resort Gold Coast.

Shashita will relocate from her current Australian-based role to the resort in mid-April

SAFARI CHARTERS

Offering a new charter cruise option in Fijian waters Safari Charters is offering exclusive yacht charters on board its French-built, 50 foot mono hull.

The yacht offers two double berths and two singles, four bathrooms, a fully equipped galley and outside barbecue.

The vessel can be chartered up to 10 days at a time.

For more information, please contact Director, Mr. Steele on steele@fijisafari.net

STARWOOD GOLD CLASSIC LURES GOLFERS WITH BIG PRIZES

The organizers of the 2010 Starwood Golf Classic taking place at the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club from 05-07 June have announced the main professional grade prize with be a cash jackpot of FJD60,000.

The winner of the amateur grade prize will walk away with return airlines tickets plus accommodation at a Starwood Asia-Pacific based property.

For further information and details on the event, please contact the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club on info@denaraugolf.com.fj or visit www.dgrc.com

LIKULIKU LAGOON RESORT NAMED ‘BEST OVERSEAS RESORT’

Likuliku Lagoon Resort has been named as ‘Best Overseas Resort’ in the prestigious annual Luxury Travel Magazine’s 2010 Gold List. The award is a further endorsement for the luxury Mamanuca Islands property which last year was named the number five ‘Best Overseas Resort’ in the magazine’s 2009 awards.

Owner and Managing Director Tony Whitton said he believed Likuliku had successfully filling a previously vacant niche in Fiji with the property offering a unique concept in that it focused on all things Fijian from design to service delivery while providing a unique product offering via the resort’s over-water bures.

For further information, please contact the Director of Sales & Marketing, Ms Samantha Muspratt at dosm@ahuraresorts.com

NI SA MOCE NANUYA PRINCESS

After 24 years continuous service one of Fiji’s best known cruises vessels, MV Nanuya Princess has dropped anchor in the Port of Lautoka for the last time under Blue Lagoon Cruises’ colours.

The final voyage brings the curtain down on an illustrious career which has seen the 36-berth, 49-metre vessel operate 2,400 cruises in the north-western islands carrying more than 85,000 passengers – most of them Australians and New Zealanders – in the process.

Blue Lagoon Cruises’ CEO Tim Stonhill (pictured left) was on the dock to welcome the ‘old lady’, passengers and crew home for the last time on 30 March.

Mr Stonhill said the decision to retire the vessel is part of a bigger picture plan which will see the boutique cruise specialist consolidate its ‘Club’ and ‘Gold Club’ product line to offer just one generic cruise product from next month.

As a part of the plan Blue Lagoon Cruises’ flag ship MV Fiji Princess will be taking over MV Nanuya Princess’s existing three-day/two night and four/day/three-night ‘Club’ cruises in Fiji’s picturesque Yasawa Islands. Mr Stonhill said the vessel would now be offered for sale.

For further information, please contact Blue Lagoon’s PR Representative, Mr. Mike Parker-Brown at mikeparkerbrown@aapt.net.au

LUXURY HELI COMBO LINKS OUTRIGGER RESORT AND CASTAWAY ISLAND IN FIJI

The Outrigger on the Lagoon and Castaway Island are offering resort-to-resort helicopter transfers as part of a new six night package offering trhee nights at both resorts.

The package is priced from FJ$3466 (AUD$1915) for two and includes a one hour spa treatment for two at Outrigger’s Bebe Spa and a Dolphin Safari around the Mamanuca Islands aboard Castaway Island’s luxury speedboat.

For more information visit www.outriggerfiji.com

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