Bangkok--12 Dec--eTurboNews
Tourism Action Group (TAG) has been reactivated to bring Fiji’s tourism industry out of the doldrums.
Only few days back, Australia and New Zealand had warned their citizens to avoid traveling to Fiji due to the increasing risk of a military coup in the South Pacific island nation. From Fiji’s perspective, it was nothing but a severe blow to its tourism aspirations as Australia and New Zealand are considered to be its two major tourism markets.
Now, in an effort to rescue Fiji’s tourism industry from the coup, Tourism Action Group (TAG) has been reactivated to deal with the current crisis. It is said that the committee that was instrumental in leading the recovery of Fiji’s tourism industry after the coup of May 2000.
The focus of the group will be on Australia and New Zealand, according to the Fiji Islands Visitors Bureau.
According to New Zealand director of the Fiji Visitors Bureau Paresh Pant the TAG is developing marketing and public relations strategies. The group will be approaching the New Zealand government to ask it to downgrade its travel advisory for Fiji.
As per the information available, TAG will have two committees, one dealing with international marketing while the other looks at relations with government and overseas embassies and high commissions. Group members are expected to meet Fiji tourism representatives this Friday to plan how to tackle the effects of the political crisis on the industry.
The development is critical considering the fact that the tourism industry directly employs 50,000 Fijians and accounts for a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). Tourists also contribute to ‘almost half of Fiji’s foreign exchange reserves.
The re-activation of TAG follows issuance of advisories. For example, a recent Australian government travel advisory was as follows: “If you are in the capital Suva and concerned for your safety, you should consider leaving. There are ongoing tensions between the Fiji government and the Fiji military forces and the possibility of a military coup against the government. Political tensions could lead to mob violence and civil disorder.”
The travel warnings came as Fijian authorities consider whether to charge military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama with sedition over his repeated threats to remove Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.
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