Fiji Tourism caps off “Toughest Year on Record” With Strong Last Quarter Performance

Figures released by Tourism Fiji this week show the destination’s international arrivals bounced back strongly in the last three months of 2009 capping off a year CEO Josefa Tuamoto described as the “toughest year on record”: for the local industry.

Fiji welcomed a total of 538,523 international visitors across the 12-month period falling just 7.6 per cent shy of the 582,602 tally achieved in the record breaking 2008.

The result is a far cry from the disastrous start to the year following heavy flooding in January, the natural disaster described by Mr Tuamoto as the principal catalyst for a more than 27 per cent drop in AN overall business already exacerbated by the global financial crisis.

Figures for October, November and December, he said, were particularly pleasing, the figures buoyed by very strong performances from both the Australian and New Zealand markets which had finished off the year very much in ‘green shoot’ mode.

More than 232,680 Australians visited in 2009, just 1121 shy – or 0.5 per cent - of the 233,801 figure achieved in 2008. The figure represents 43 per cent of Fiji’s total visitor arrivals for 2009

New Zealand figures for the period topped 91,350, just 9595 short – or 9.5 per cent - of the 100,945 achieved in the same period in 2008.

Mr Tuamoto said growth from other newer markets continued to prove extremely positive for the future and in particular from China and Taiwan where visitor arrivals jumped by 27.4 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively, albeit off small bases.

Fiji welcomed a total of 538,523 international visitors across the 12-month period falling just 7.6 per cent shy of the 582,602 tally achieved in the record breaking 2008.

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

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Tourism Fiji is pleased to announce the “Tu Dei Ena Yalayala” (TEY) – “Keeping the Promise” of Quarter 1, which will be held on the following dates:
Tuesday April 13th in Nadi.
Wednesday April 14th in Taveuni.
Thursday April 15th in Savusavu.
Friday April 16th in Suva.

Tu Dei Ena Yalayala is Tourism Fiji’s “Keeping the Promise” Quarterly Event, where Tourism Fiji presents to the Industry and the Stakeholders.

This is your opportune time to be part of an important event to meet with the Regional Directors of Australia, New Zealand, Australia and the Head Office Team.

For further information and registration details, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer, Ms Tupou Moeofo on Email: tmoeofo@tourismfiji.com.fj

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New Zealand travel agents attending a Tourism Fiji ‘Fiji Me’ night in Wellington last week received a huge surprise when Tourism Fiji regional director New Zealand Sala Toganivalu introduced her special guests for the evening – Fiji Sevens coach Alifereti Malo and members of the team in town for last week’s Wellington Sevens.

In true ‘Bula Spirit’ the players were only too happy to take time out from training to lend a hand as the Tourism Fiji team and representatives from Plantation Island Resort, Lomani Island Resort and Musket Cove Resort presented the latest Fiji travel news over dinner to 20 of the national tourist office’s Wellington-based ‘Matai’ specialist agents.

While many of the star-struck agents went off home with team autographs, three fared even better with coach Malo and the team presenting door prizes including a Fiji ‘Digicel’ Sevens jersey signed by the team and a signed Fiji Rugby ball.

Charmaine Templer of Tawa Travel scored the much sought-after jersey while Joanna Devereux of The Travel Brokers ran off with the ball.

The major prize on offer, two-nights at both Plantation Island Resort and Musket Cove Resort was picked up by Carina Johnstone of Air New Zealand Business Direct.

The Wellington visit was one of several ‘Fiji Me’ nights the national tourist office is holding in the south end of New Zealand’s North Island with Palmerston North, New Plymouth and Taupo also include in the program.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director – New Zealand, Ms Sala Toganivalu on sala@bulafiji.co.nz

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Tourism Fiji Boots Fiji into The International Spotlight St The Wellington Sevens

It’s not every day you the chance to impress a worldwide TV audience in excess of 750,000,000 with your business.

But that’s exactly what Tourism Fiji has done at the Wellington leg of the IRB rugby sevens world series held last weekend.

The national tourist office scored a major try by being one of the first to book the electronic advertising signage positioned around the pitch at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium in order to show off Tourism Fiji’s well known ‘Fiji Me’ logo.

Not only did Tourism Fiji get the ‘Fiji Me’ message across to the 70,000 plus rugby fans attending the stadium over the two days the tournament was held, it also tapped into the estimated 750,000,000 million worldwide TV audience tuning in to watch the semi-finals and final.

This tremendous effort follows hot on the heels of the release of Tourism Fiji’s breath-taking new TV advertising ‘Lucky Me – Fiji Me’ advertising campaign launched in New Zealand on 24 January which has received rave reviews form both consumers and the Kiwi travel industry alike since it first went to air.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director – New Zealand , Ms Sala Toganivalu on sala@bulafiji.co.nz

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Tourism Fiji has received an ‘A’ for effort from a group of New Zealand teachers visiting Fiji last week with four of the six schools represented signing up for a series of Fiji-based school children’s sporting, social and educational programs in 2010.

Organised by Tourism Fiji’s New Zealand regional office and Hamilton-based Edventure Tours, the six-strong group consisted of principals, heads of departments and teachers representing schools in Auckland, Christchurch, Northland, and Tauranga.

Tourism Fiji’s marks for the exercise – Hamilton Boys High School with send a 30-strong school group to Fiji in July, Kamo Intermediate School (Northland) is planning to send 30-40 pupils in October and Wairau Intermediate School (Auckland) has confirmed a group of 20 in December.Heaton International School in Christchurch has also indicated it will be sending a group to Fiji this year.

A delighted Tourism Fiji regional director New Zealand Sala Toganivalu said the program had proved an outstanding success with four of the six representatives confirming their interest in bringing school groups to Fiji this year.

“This was a key group for us with all of those participating responsible for making the final decisions as to which overseas destinations students from their respective schools will visit in the coming business year,” she said.

“This success really underlines the inroads Tourism Fiji is making in this key business area.

“Perhaps even more importantly, while we are creating a new business stream for Fiji we are also educating the very group of people representing our ‘visitors of tomorrow’, the hundreds of Kiwi kids who one day will themselves bring their own families and friends to our islands.”

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director – New Zealand, Ms Sala Toganivalu on sala@bulafiji.co.nz

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Thanking you Kindly - Shangri-la‘s The Fijian To Host Top Rating Australian TV Show

Shangri-La’s The Fijian Resort and Spa in conjunction with Coral Sun and Tourism Fiji will host top Australian presenter Shelley Craft and the crew of one of the country’s highest rating national TV shows, ‘Random Acts of Kindness’, in late February.

To be televised on TCN Channel Nine later this year, the program will revolve around 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 PR Officer, Mr Mike Parker Brown on mikeparkerbrown@aapt.net.au

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Complete with an extremely catchy song which New Zealand tourism industry principals are already saying could easily emulate the highly successful Tourism Australia ‘Eagle Rock’ campaign of the 1990’s, Tourism Fiji has fired its first promotional shots of 2010 with one of its biggest ever national TV advertising campaigns in the land of the long white cloud.

Firmly fixed on positioning Fiji as a ‘premium but very affordable travel experience’ for New Zealand travellers, the new ‘Lucky Me – Fiji Me’ campaign launched on Sunday 24 January on TVNZ One, Two, Three and Prime.

Beatific images of Fiji aside, a key component of the overall campaign is the ‘Lucky’ song performed by up and coming Texan jazz singer Kat Edmonson.

The campaign and song have already received the thumbs up from senior airline management, wholesalers and heads of retail chains attending a sneak preview of the new campaign in Auckland prior to its release.

Tourism Fiji Regional Director Sala Toganivalu said several of those attending the launch have drawn strong comparisons against the Tourism Australia Eagle Rock’ campaign of the mid-1990’s which saw the Daddy Cool recording of the same name go to the number one spot in the New Zealand music charts for seven weeks.

“But while the Kat Edmonson song is memorable, even more appealing are the beautiful images portraying Fiji which we know are going to play a major role in seeing us attract more than 103,000 Kiwis to our destination in 2010,” Ms Toganivalu said.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Regional Director, Ms Sala Toganivalu on sala@bulafiji.co.nz

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The Fiji Tennis Invitation classic got underway at the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club on 02 February 2010. The week long women’s event was destined to become a regular part of the Denarau calendar attracting ever greater numbers of players and supporters including Hollywood celebrities.

These include Nia Long, Tatyana Ali and James Tyler Williams all of which have willingly provided their help to promote sports Tourism in Fiji and bring hope to young girls and underprivileged children of Fiji.

For further information, please contact info@tennisinvitationclassic.com or visit www.fijitennisinvitationclassic.com

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The revamped Tourism Fiji Dive guides and Dive flyers incorporating new branding panels with die cut covers, are now available.

In keeping in line with the target audience, these publications are strongly visual, portraying the beautiful reefs and diverse marine life that Fiji has to offer. This effort on behalf of the national tourist office is part of Tourism Fiji’s efforts to showcase Fiji’s dive brand and the quality diving on offer. These generic publications are now available with copies soon to be dispatched to Tourism Fiji’s regional offices. The Dive guide will also be available online for even easier access

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Senior Marketing Officer, Mr Thomas Valentine on tvalentine@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Fiji Named As A Top Ten Romantic Destination for Valentine’s Day 2010

Fiji has been selected as one of the ‘Top 10 Romantic Getaways for Valentine’s Day 2010’ by leading travel-planning site Away.com as part of a recently released ‘Away.com Romance Travel Guide’ giving amorous readers the inside scoop on the most romantic destination worldwide.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer, Ms Inise Mucunabitu on imucunabitu@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Tourism Fiji has announced its plans to stage a series of travel industry wedding seminars in Australia designed to showcase Fiji’s expertise in the romantic travel sector.

The seminars are scheduled to take place from 22-25 March in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer, Ms Inise Mucunabitu at imucunabitu@tourismfiji.com.fj.

For registrations please contact Tourism Fiji Australia’s Regional Marketing Officer, Ms Luisa Finiasi at lfiniasi@tourismfijioz.com or Click Here

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Tourism Fiji New Zealand in cooperation with Air Pacific will host 60 Kiwi agents in Fiji from 21-27 March as part of a ‘New Zealand Mega’ educational program.

The main thrust of the program is to introduce the destination to first timers and also update more experienced agents with many of the new developments recently taking place in the destination and also to provide all participants with the key tools required to successfully sell the destination.

For further information, please contact the Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer, Ms Kelly Eastgate on keastgate@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Fiji was extremely well represented at the Sydney Bridal Exhibition in held at the Sydney Exhibition Centre on 30- 31 January 2010.

Tourism Fiji and participating partners - Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, South Pacific Bridal, Mana Island Resort & Spa, Musket Cove Fiji Island Resort, Captain Cook Cruises, Naviti Resort and Warwick Resort met with over 4000 couples and disseminated information on the products and packages available for the wedding market here in Fiji

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji – Sydney Regional Marketing Officer, Ms Vivienne Valentine on viv@tourismfijioz.com

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Fiji’s tourism industry and economy are expected to get a boost from a new VAT refund system introduced on 01 February.

Under the scheme visitors to Fiji spending more than FJD500.00 in one day in selected tourism outlets in Suva and Nadi will be entitled to claim a 12 per cent refund from the country’s customs authorities on departure.

Announced by Fiji’s interim Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, the new scheme, is seem as a boon for international visitors, particularly the thousands of cruise passengers visiting Suva this year*.

To date more than 42 registered outlets have joined in the scheme in both Nadi and Suva with many more expected to come online following the PM’s announcement.

The system is very simple to use. To qualify a tourist must spend FJD500 or more on the same day at any one of the 42 designated outlets and take the goods out of Fiji within two months from date of purchase.

Special desks are set up in both pre and post check-in areas in Nadi International Airport and on board all cruise ships entering Suva Harbour and other Fijian ports.

For further information, please contact the Fiji Island Revenue & Customs Authority on TVRS-Enquiry@frca.org.fj

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Bula Fiji Tourism Exchange

The annual Bula Fiji Tourism Exchange, the South Pacific’s premier trade event will be hosted by the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa from 18-22 May 2010.

For further information, please visit www.bfte.com.fj or contact the BFTE Secretariat, Ms Lillian Allen on bfte@connect.com.fj

Fiji Tourism Forum – Save The Date!

Scheduled for 20 August, the Fiji Tourism Forum is one of the biggest industry events in the tourism calendar. The Forum is an opportune time for colleagues in the industry to develop good working relationships with stakeholders, government and other partners in creating an atmosphere where everyone is encouraged to work together.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Officer, Ms Alisi Lutu on alutu@tourismfiji.com.fj

Fiji ‘s Prestigious Tourism Awards Night

The 2009 Aon Fiji Excellence Awards will be held at the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa on Friday, 26 February 2010.

To purchase a dinner ticket, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer, Ms Kesa Marau on kmarau@tourismfiji.com.fj

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The new positioning complements Tourism Fiji’s ‘Fiji Me’ brand and will be used extensively in overseas marketing campaigns.

For further information, check out www.airpacific.com and www.airpacificholidays.com for amazing airfares and package deals.

Outrigger Named Number Three Top Family Resort In The South Pacific

The world’s largest online travel community, TripAdvisor has released results from its 2010 Travellers’ Choice survey and named Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji as the third most popular family destination in the South Pacific.

The Coral Coast resort beat stiff competition from other big names in Australia, Fiji and other South Pacific islands to take out the coveted spot.

Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji’s General Manager, Peter Hopgood said the TripAdvisor award was a fantastic accolade for the property given that it was based on unsolicited comments from guests who took the time to write reviews of their stays.

“We value each and every guest review which enables us to build on our five-star standing,” he said.

For further information, please contact Outrigger on the Lagoon Director of Sales, Mr. Wayne Robinson on wayne.robinson@outriggerfiji.com.fj

Matamanoa State Of The Art Indoor / Outdoor Spa

Matamanoa Island Resort will commence work its proposed state of the art indoor/outdoor spa this month with a view to having the facility up and running by April.

The new spa will be built along the rock face of the secluded, forested northern side of the Island.

The idyllic landscape is intended to provide the perfect backdrop for the spa’s huge range of spa treatments including thalassotherapy sea mineral mud packs and aroma algae body wraps.

For further information, please contact the Resort’s Director of Marketing, Ms Marina Musumeci on marketing@tokoriki.com

Fiji Veteran To Head Up Bounty Island Resort

One of Fiji’s most experienced resort general managers, Dave Woodman has been appointed as general manager of Bounty Island Resort.

Mr Woodman’s is high profile on the Fiji tourism scene having managed a several resorts and hotels in the Mamanucas, Nadi, Suva and the Coral Coast over the past 23 years.

For further information, contact Group General Manager Treasure Island Resort, Mr Graeme Back on gm@treasure.com.fj

Iconic Fiji Cruise Ship To Be Retired

As a part of the plan, Blue Lagoon Cruises’ flag ship MV Fiji Princess will be taking over MV Nanuya Princess’ existing three-day/two night and four/day/three-night ‘Club’ cruises in Fiji’s Yasawa Islands.

Stonhill said the 36-berth MV Mystique Princess will now operate all seven-day itineraries, including the ‘Historical & Cultural Dateline Cruise’ scheduled on August 16. The 34-berth MV Fiji Princess, meanwhile, will operate all three- and four-day itineraries.

In its 24 years of service, the MV Nanuya Princess has carried close on 85,000 passengers, most of them Australians and New Zealanders, on more than 2,400 cruise departures. Stonhill said the 48-metre vessel would now be offered for sale.

For further information, please contact Blue Lagoon Cruises on sales@blc.com

If you have any news items you wish to submit to Bul@tin, please send your copy in MS Word and any supporting pictures as jpeg images to fijimebulatin@tourismfiji.com.fj

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