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Hotels in Fiji’s tourism belt have been enjoying a rise in tourist arrivals over the past three months, says Malolo Island Resort general manager Nasoni Tamani.
Tamani said compared to this time last year Fiji was struggling with 30-40 percent arrivals shared by hotels scattered all over the western coast and islands off Viti Levu.
“Now I can confidently say that the arrival of visitors to our shores is one that we are happy about,” says the 48 year old Matuku Lau native who has been in the tourism industry for some 25 odd years.
“We are enjoying 80-90 percent occupancy for over the last three months and that is an indication that tourists want to come to Fiji.”
He said even though times were hard over the past two years when arrivals had been very low, Malolo Island Resort has worked hard at maintaining its 150 staff rotating their shifts and working hours to hang on until “the clouds had cleared”.
“Now we are enjoying the arrival of visitors together with the staff who have stuck with us when the going got tough,” said Tamani.
“I feel that it can only get better from here on.
“But the onus is on us and the media to portray to the world out there that Fiji is a safe, peaceful and friendly place to come and relax in.
“If we get that message out there loud and clear, then visitors will be at ease coming to Fiji because already it is cheap to come here with our dollar devalued.”
His comments are echoed by Sydney-based travel agent Frances Palfi who said visitor arrivals to Fiji had increased over the past few months.
Palfi said a growing number of potential visitors had been coming to her office in Sydney to enquire about Fiji.
“Definitely, there has been a growing number of visitors from Australia coming over to Fiji and more interest has been identified for future bookings from Australia,” she said.
Palfi is in the country with a group of students, parents and teachers from Sydney-based Newport School for a cultural exchange program this week with students of Malolo Island School.
