News

The tourism industry in Fiji needs to work harder in the coming months to ensure visitor numbers do not fall too greatly as a result of growing concern over the country's political situation.

That is the opinion of the chief executive of Fiji Visitor Bureau, Viliame Gavoka, who was responding to recent figures which show bookings for 2007 are down.

Data for the upcoming year shows tourists are staying away from the country as the threat of a political coup looms.

This is leading to many people, particularly part-time and casual workers, losing their jobs.

'We are having a marketing briefing with our partners from Australia and New Zealand tomorrow [16 November] at Denarau,' said Mr Gavoka.

'Some 100 industry people will be in attendance and we hope to agree on the way forward after the briefing.'

Mr Gavoka went on to say that the current situation is "urgent" and the Fiji Visitor Bureau intended to act as quickly as possible.

'We will go out and market Fiji in a big way, we won't wait for the military and Government to hug and make up,' he said.

'Tourism will just forge ahead. It was all words over the last two weeks, similar to the last five years, so why are we in a state of paralysis?'

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