SOUTH

Journal: TWUK	Section:
Title:	Issue Date: 05/06/00
Author:	Page Number: 43
Copyright: Other

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SOUTH

New dawn: celebrations in Kiribati – one of the first countries to see in the new millennium -Êlifted the region’s profile

The recent political developments in Fiji have forced operators to rethink itineraries for customers travelling to the region.

Rachael Oakden reports

OPERATORS are rearranging itineraries for clients due to travel to Fiji following last month’s coup which has so far led to one death and resulted in martial law being imposed in the capital Suva.

The coup began on May 19 when the prime minister and 30 politicians were taken hostage by rebel leader George Speight, who claims to be acting on behalf of indigenous Fijians.

Elegant Resorts has been contacting clients due to travel later in the year. Marketing director Barbara Catchpole said:”Thankfully, we haven’t got anyone there at the moment but we have clients going out in July and we are offering them an alternative.”

Tradewinds has dropped its Fiji programme until the Foreign Office changes its advice against travel to the island. Marketing manager Mark Blewitt said: “We are offering clients a full refund or the chance to rearrange. There will be no penalty charge.”

As Travel Weekly went to press, the Foreign Office was still advising against all non-essential travel to Fiji and recommending that British nationals currently in Fiji stay indoors.

Meanwhile, Sunset Faraway has abandoned plans to reintroduce Fiji to its 2001 brochure. Managing director Harvin Kaumaya said: “I don’t think the situation is going to remedy that quickly. I think we are going to give it a miss at least for a year.”

However, the Fiji Visitors Bureau issued a statement saying the main tourist areas, which are 125 miles from Suva, have not been affected by the crisis and specialist Transpacific said it was business as usual.

Transpacific chief executive Malcolm James: “We are still recommending that people go. This has happened twice before. We feel quite comfortable that the areas where people are going are safe and that the situation will blow over,” he told Travel Weekly.

At the time of going to press, Air New Zealand was still operating its London-Nadi service via Los Angeles four times a week.

Prior to the coup, operators were reporting good demand for Fiji, which saw a 9% rise in UK visitors in the first quarter of the year compared with last year. Kuoni product manager Jayne White said: “It had been our top seller. We were dramatically up on sales compared with last year.”

The UK-based South Pacific Tourism Organisation said the political unrest has not affected its confidence in the region as a whole and it is still predicting a 10%-15% increase in UK visitors this year.

SPTO regional manager Amanda Hill said: “We are hoping that consumers who decide not to travel to Fiji will visit one of the other islands instead rather than cancelling their holiday altogether.”

She said publicity during the millennium had catapulted the region into the limelight. She added: “Because flights are becoming so competitive, more operators are offering the region as a stand-alone destination.”

Hills said the SPTO plans to focus on educating agents about the region.

“We need to educate operators and agents because the South Pacific is a niche product. Each island has its own character and agents have to be able to be honest with customers,” she said.

The organisation will also bring 80 South Pacific representatives to World Travel Market in November.

Although Fiji has seen a rise in visitors, the biggest growth for most operators has been French Polynesia.

Elegant Resorts has increased its French Polynesian sales by 86% in the past year, although exact figures are not available. Worldwide manager Alison Lester said the number of people buying it as a single-centre holiday was increasing: “Most of them are honeymooners,” she said. “They don’t want to be packing and unpacking.”

The SPTO believes the Cook Islands will be the next destination for the UK. Total visitors to the Cooks were up 14% last year compared with 1998 and Air Pacific has introduced direct flights from Fiji to Rarotonga that will make the islands more accessible. Exact visitor figures are not available. The islands are already Kuoni’s second best seller after a sharp increase in sales over the past year.