Fiji's October visitor numbers increase by 7.2 per cent

Figures released by Tourism Fiji this month show the destination welcomed a total of 53,138 international visitors in October 2009, a 7.2 per cent increase on the 49,586 achieved for the same period in 2008.

The figure took total international numbers for the period January - October 2009 to 443,703, the figure bolstered by a fourth straight record breaking performance from the Australian market with more than 27,500 Aussie tourists visiting in the tenth month.

Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said growth from other newer markets had proved extremely positive and in particular from China where visitor arrivals jumped by 14.4 per cent from 8842 to 10,114.

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

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Fiji woos Australians at Sydney Bridal Exhibition, 30-31 January 2010

Fiji will be well represented at the high profile ‘Sydney Bridal Expo’ taking place at the Sydney Entertainment  Centre from 30-31 January.

Fiji  brands taking part include Captain Cook Cruises, Mana Island Resort & Spa, the Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa, the Naviti Resort, Musket Cove Island Resort and South Pacific Bridal (Fiji) in what represents one of Australia’s biggest bridal expos of the year.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Australia’s Regional Marketing Officer Vivienne Valentine via email at viv@tourismfijioz.com

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Tourism Fiji together with industry partners will be once again attend the annual Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME) which, now in its 18th year, will take again place at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 02-03 March 2010.

Positioned as the premier regional summit for those in the meetings, conference, expo and exhibitions sector, AIME 2010 will attract more than 850 exhibitors from 50 countries showcasing the best in destinations, products and services.

The figure is almost double the numbers attending the 2009 event which, affected by the GFR, attracted 467 from 25 countries.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Australia Regional Marketing Officer Louisa Finiasi via email at lfiniasi@tourismfijioz.com.

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Tourism Fiji and its industry partners will once again be participating in the annual series of Flight Centre Australian road shows taking place throughout February 2010 as follows:

Sydney -  6-7 February
Melbourne - 13-14 February
Adelaide 20-21 February
Brisbane - 27-28 February 2010 in Brisbane

Flight Centre Limited is Australasia’s best known travel agency group with more than 2000 agencies and  in 11 countries.

The road shows will bring together leading travel specialists under one roof to unveil their latest range of products and destination information to a valuable retail driven audience..

For further information on participating in any of the above road shows, please contact Tourism Fiji, Australia’s marketing officer, Ms Vivienne Valentine via email at viv@tourismfijioz.com

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The 13th annual AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards will be held at the Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa on the 26th February 2010.

More than 350 guests are expected to attend the prestigious event which this year will have a ‘Red Sea Rig’ theme.The awards are open to all members of the industry and recognize quality and excellence in the tourism industry.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer Kesaia Marau via email at kmarau@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Tourism Fiji  and several local operators will participate at one of the world’s biggest cruise exhibitions, the Sea Trade convention in Miami, Florida in March.

Running from 15-18 March, attendees at the 2010 event will include international and domestic tourist organisations, cruise operators, super yacht brokers, hotel operators, business and corporate houses,  hotel management and catering technology, educational institutes and related industry companies.

The cruise sector remains a key source of foreign exchange earnings for Fiji ‘s tourism industry – and particularly for many of the destination’s outer islands. Attendance at this year’s event is aimed at increasing the number of annual marine visitors into Fiji via this lucrative source of tourism business.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer Alisi Lutu via email at alutu@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Tourism Fiji and partners recently welcomed 39 Hong Kong and Chinese travel agents and media as part of Air Pacific’s inaugural flight ex-Hong Kong in early December.

Divided into six media and three agency groups, the visitors’ programs included visits to Taveuni and Savusavu, Nadi, the Mamanuca Islands, the Coral Coast and Pacific Harbour between 06-12 December.

Ground transfers and tours were provided by Pacific Destinationz, Rosie Holidays and Tour Managers, all of which played a critical role in making this key familiarisation program possible.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee Erasito on alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Further building Fiji’s tourism profile in the budding Taiwan market, Tourism Fiji recently hosted a six-man film crew from the GALA Television Corporation

While in Fiji in November  the crew filmed special historical and cultural sights and adventure/eco-based activities in Suva, Taveuni, Pacific Harbour, Nadi and the Mamanucas, the footage to be used in a 60-minute presentation ‘The Wonderful World’.

While in Fiji, the crew was also awarded VIP passes to film the Miss South Pacific Pageant 2010 in Suva.

The program is popular in Taiwan providing international travel information to a large  audience.
Providing Fiji with even further reach into the region, the program is also intended for broadcast on TVB Hong Kong, ASTRO TV Malaysia, and Media Corp. TV Singapore.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee Erasito on alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

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When Continental Airlines inaugural service ex-Japan landed in Nadi on 19 December, the passengers included five media agents taking the opportunity to experience and have a first hand look at the diversity of products that Fiji has to offer the Japanese market.

The agents’ program include Nadi, Denarau and the Mamanucas.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee Erasito on alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Scheduled for Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore, Tourism Fiji will stage major tourism workshops in each city between 31 January -  07 February  2010.

The main thrust of the workshops is to launch a Fiji Matai specialist agents  in each city visited, further promote Fiji as a key holiday destination for the lucrative Indian market in order to drive up potential visitor numbers and also foster partnerships in these new  and emerging markets  with relevant stakeholders.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji’s Marketing Services Manager, Ms Adeline Lee Erasito on alee@tourismfiji.com.fj

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Tourism Fiji/Lonely Planet online campaign to reach audience of 5.5 million

Tourism Fiji and Lonely Planet, the world’s leading publisher of travel guides, have joined forces to promote Fiji  via a web-based campaign to a monthly global audience estimated in excess of 7.3 million people including 1.8 million in the US.

Running from 25 January – 31 March 2010, the main thrust of the campaign is to raise even more awareness for Fiji as a prime travel destination, educate website visitors on the huge array of travel options the destination now offers and ultimately, increase ‘travel intent’ for the millions of people viewing the site.

For further information, please contact Tourism Fiji Marketing Officer, Kesaia Marau via email at kmarau@tourismfiji.com.fj.

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Music to the ears of every international SCUBA enthusiasts, Lomalagi Resort, near Savusavu has opened up  Natewa Bay, the largest deep water bay in the South Pacific, to divers.

More than 1000 meters deep in its centre, the 600 square mile bay is an underwater paradise offering  dozens of beautiful reefs and walls for divers to explore.  One site offers huge coral fans, some of them hundreds of years old.  The bay is also home to the only resident pods of dolphins in Fiji.

Savusavu independent dive operator ‘Rockin’ Down Under ‘ now offers a full  range of PADI certified courses ranging from ‘discover scuba’ courses for beginners through to Dive Master programs at Natewa Bay.

Lomalagi Resort is also offering a series of combined accommodation/dive packages.

For more information, please Ms Collin McKenny, via email at lomalagi@connect.com.fj or visit the following websites: www.lomalagi.com  and www.fiji-lomalagi.com.

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Soft adventure tour specialist Adrenalin Fiji has commenced its Hot Air Ballooning program with the first flight launched on 06 January.

The company now has two licensed Balloon Captains – Brian Trapp and Steve Bond. Brian who will be operating Adrenalin Ballooning over the coming four months.

The Adrenalin Balloon basket holds up to 12 passengers comfortably and offers one of the most unique and serene ways of seeing the destination’s amazing hinterland.

Adrenalin Fiji is located in Port Denarau Marina. For more information of hot air ballooning, please contact the company via email at info@adrenalinfiji.com.

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Peter Hopgood hops into Fiji as new GM at the Outrigger on the Lagoon

Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji has appointed Peter Hopgood at its new general manager.

Mr Hopgood comes to the Coral Coast resort with a wealth of international experience under his belt having

managed a range of luxurious island resorts on Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef together with four and five-star resorts on the Australian mainland.

Mr Hopgood’s 30 years in the industry spans all areas of resort and hotel operations including conferencing, food and beverage and management of multi-million dollar refurbishments, the most recent  comprising a AUD38 million upgrade at one of three resorts he managed on Hamilton Island in Queensland’s Whitsunday Islands.

He replaces outgoing GM Darren Shaw who after three years in Fiji is off to Thailand to take up a new post as GM at the five-star Outrigger Laguna Phuket

For further information, please contact Director of Sales, Mr Wayne Robinson at wayne.robinson@outriggerfiji.com.fj

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FIJI AHOY – PORT DENARAU WELCOMES FIRST CRUISE LINER FOR 2010 SEASON

The arrival of P&O’s Pacific Dawn at Port Denarau on 13 January has marked the start of Fiji’s 2010 cruise season.

Carrying more than 200 passengers, the Pacific Dawn was the first of more than 50 cruise liners scheduled to visit Fiji in coming months.

The list of arrivals includes Cunard’s Queen Victoria which will arrive in Fiji on 10 February with some 2,000 passengers on board. 

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

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