| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 05/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 45 |
| Copyright: Other |
agents on the spot: south pacific
Last month, Air New Zealand took 160 agents to the South Pacific for a five-day tourism seminar and educational in Fiji. Agents were given the chance to combine the seminar with time in Samoa, Tahiti, the Cook Islands, Hawaii, Tonga, New Zealand or Australia. We asked three agents for their impressions before and after their trip. Compiled by Julie Baxter
Before AfterPENNY FLEETTRAVEL CONSULTANT
tailor made travelEVESHAMWORCESTERSHIRE
DAVID MARRIOTTSENIOR SPECIALISTconsultantbridge the worldlondonage: 35
LYNNE WILKINSONworldwide reservations consultantelegant resortschesterage: 37
Before After
I had never been to the South Pacific before but thought of it as a dream destination with beautiful beaches and five-star resorts. Clients are always predisposed towards the area and think of it as one of those paradise places to pick for a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I sold quite a lot of packages to honeymooners going for a couple of weeks and also some to those who wanted to have a short stay on one of the islands en route to Australia or New Zealand. The two things that put people off were the 23hr journey and the fact they thought the region would be expensive.
I visited Fiji and Tahiti and they are both fantastic. The mainland of Fiji is much more sophisticated than I imagined and well developed with quite an international feel. But on the outer islands it is all very much the picture-postcard image. Fiji is far greener and much more hilly than I had imagined and the vast areas of off-shore coral you see when you fly over the area are very impressive. I would love to go back for a diving holiday as I am sure it would be incredible. I have booked quite a lot more clients to the region since my trip and I feel confident they will all have a wonderful time.
This wasn’t a part of the world I had been to before although I had sold Fiji a lot in conjunction with trips to Australia and New Zealand. I have always had good feedback from clients who had been to Fiji, so I was keen to see it for myself. I knew Fiji was quite a big island compared with others of the South Pacific but I thought of it primarily as a beach destination – a tropical paradise with palm trees hanging over white sand beaches leading down to azure seas.
The mainland of Fiji isn’t quite the idyllic beach destination I imagined. It is far more mountainous, hilly, green and lush and there is much more to it than its beaches. The people are absolutely wonderful – really friendly, polite and quite charming – even when you are well off-the-beaten track. The island is 125 miles wide but the roads are all quite basic and any journey can be a wonderful adventure, quite safe and very beautiful. I am definitely going back. There is a great deal to do in Fiji and it is a superb place to chill out.
I had never been to Fiji before but I certainly had a few preconceived ideas of what was there. I imagined wonderful, lush tropical beaches, gentle breezes and a turquoise sea. We only sell the five-star-plus resorts so I knew something about those and knew Fiji was not a cheap destination to visit but the feedback we receive from clients that have been there is always very positive. Fiji is a dream place and we often sell to clients on a round-the-world trip. Although it adds a fair bit to the cost of a trip, clients seem to feel it is well worth the money.
My initial impression of Fiji was disappointing because it wasn’t as dreamy as I had expected. There are some industrial areas and it had rained heavily so the seawater was all churned up and brown. However, once we started to explore and got out into the countryside and onto the outer islands it really surpassed all my expectations. The waters there were clear and beautiful and you could spot the fish and starfish even without a snorkel. There is a wide range of accommodation. Most impressive of all are the people who are so welcoming and genuine. The political problems may have killed off interest in Fiji for now but I’m sure it will bounce back.