Fiji Islands Hotel and Tourism Association president Dixon Seeto says they will again concentrate on promoting Fiji in the two major destinations Australia and New Zealand next year.

Seeto says visitors from these two countries contribute to over sixty per cent of Fiji’s arrivals.

However, Seeto says that doesn’t mean that the other markets will be ignored.

He says they will also look at markets like North America, Europe, China and Asia.

“I think there will be some focus on Asia given Air Pacific’s new route to Hong Kong and it’s connection with Pacific on to Europe and London,” said Seeto.

“There are many main markets in Asia that we are also targeting and some of these are emerging markets,” he added.
 Fiji has the largest market share of Chinese visitors compared to the neighboring Pacific island countries.

   Tourism is the only industry in the island nation that can turn the economy quickly in a short to medium term
“

FOOD

Fiji is home to two distinct cuisines — Fijian and Indian. Traditional Fijian dishes include kakoda, a marinated and steamed local fish, and rourou, a dish made from local taro leaf. One of the most popular traditional meals is lovo, the collective name for a feast of fish, meat, vegetables and fruit cooked in covered pits.

Seafood also plays a massive part on Fijian menus, thanks to the surrounding South Pacific waters packed with marine life. Whole grilled snapper and tender tuna steaks are good value, delicious and sure to be as fresh as a daisy.

DRINK

The Fijians are not big drinkers but one beverage they savour is cava, made from the pulverised root of a pepper shrub mixed with water. To first-time drinkers, it tastes a little like muddy water and can make your tongue and the back of your throat numb.

It is usually consumed at a special cava ceremony, where a traditional dish (sometimes a turtle shell) is filled with the brew and passed around the circle of drinkers.

National specialties:
Kokoda (raw fish marinated in coconut cream and lime).
Rourou (a taro leaf dish soaked in coconut cream).
Tavioka (manioc or tapioca, often boiled, baked or grated and cooked in coconut 
cream with sugar and mashed bananas).
Duruka (an unusual asparagus-like vegetable in season during April and May).
Lovo (a covered pit or underground oven used to cook meat, fish, and vegetables).

National drinks:
Kava (traditionally prepared by virgins, who chewed the root of the pepper plant into a soft pulpy mass before adding water but nowadays the roots are pounded in a wooden bowl using a vertical metal rod usually operated by hand).
Fiji Bitter (a beer brewed in Suva by Carlton Brewery).
Booth’s Gin, Bounty Rum, Czarina Vodka and Regal Whisky (produced by South Pacific Distilleries, Lautoka).

Legal drinking age: 21.

PRESS RELEASE

Talpacific Holidays and Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa are offering travellers the chance to make the most of Air Pacific’s EarlyBird Airfares  with a five night holiday package to Denarau Island.

The holiday package includes: Return airfares to Nadi flying Air Pacific; return transfers; five-nights accommodation at the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa; a champagne breakfast for two daily; an exclusive Senikai Spa 15 minute massage or gift pack at Nadi Airport and the Talpacific Fiji Fun Card offering discounts on shopping, touring and dining.

Prices are per person twin share (inclusive of taxes) and start from:

•AU$985 Ex Brisbane
•AU$1049 Ex Sydney
•AU$1149 Ex Melbourne
Talpacific’s Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa packages are valid for sale until 23 October 2009, and are available for travel from 12 October 2009 to 31 March 2010.

A blackout period applies over the Christmas and New Year period (Nov09 – 07Nov09 and 24Dec09 – 05Jan10).

Air Pacific fares include free meals and drinks, free inflight entertainment, complimentary Captain Bula Kits for Kids and special kids meals.

For bookings call talpacific’s Travel Agents booking line on 1300 137 727

For further information on Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa visit www.sofitelfiji.com.fj

*Terms and conditions apply. Travel agent service fees may apply and vary by agency. Please ask at time of enquiry.

Fiji’s Prime Minister is exploring the prospect of authorising a foreigners-only casino resort similar to the Genting Highlands operation in Malaysia. …A proposal to introduce legal casinos in Fiji has been raised again, with the  government giving its support to the idea.
Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says casinos can become a revenue source for government to use for infrastructure projects, education and medical facilities.

The Prime Minis­ter said the money ear­ned from the casi­nos can be diver­ted to poverty alle­via­tion. Bai­ni­ma­rama added that most people, ins­tead of hel­ping in the reduc­tion of poverty have their own agenda.

Bai­ni­ma­rama said consequent to the idea of wide­ning our tou­rist base, casi­nos can reduce our cur­rent expo­sure to hea­vily relying on our couple of coun­tries or two major seg­ments within the tou­rist mar­ket, namely Aus­tra­lia and New Zealand.

But some locals are sceptical of the idea, which they say will bring more harm than good.

 
 Visitor arrivals for the month fall just one per cent shy of 2008 record
- Australian figures for July best ever
- Kiwi figures bounce back strongly

Underlining Fiji’s re-emergence on the international travel scene, figures released this week by Tourism Fiji show the destination’s visitor intake continues to build strongly with Fiji welcoming more than 280,000 overseas visitors across the January-July period.

Visitor arrivals totalled 58,166 for the month of July, the figure falling just 1.4 per cent shy – or 833 people – of the 58,999 tourists visiting for the same period in 2008.

The July 2009 figure includes a record breaking 24,729 Australians, that figure eclipsing the 21,550 total  achieved in 2008 by more than 3000.

It was a similar story with Kiwi visitor arrivals.

The 13,168 visitor arrival total achieved in July 2009 from New Zealand was just 283 less than the record 13,451 achieved in July 2008.

Tourism Fiji CEO Josefa Tuamoto said the seven month figure, a total of 280,530, while still 15 per cent down on qualifying period in 2008, was a strong improvement on the 23.7 per cent visitor deficit recorded for the first three months of 2009.

Mr Tuamoto attributed the visitor arrival growth to the success achieved by the national tourist office in keeping Fiji’s profile high and its ongoing high impact marketing strategies in both its mature and developing visitor source markets.

“When you consider the effects the January floods had on our international visitor arrivals earlier in the year and the ongoing global recession, Fiji looks to be gathering strength for a very strong finish to the year,” he said.
  fiji tourism

 Welcome to Fiji’s newest destination ‘The Pacific Coast’ and Adventure Capital of Fiji

The allure of the beaches on the Pacific Coast will leave you breathless – and the activities are endless. This unique destination
includes several established resorts ranging from luxury to back-packer, and island resorts.
The region is already known as the ‘Adventure Capital of Fiji’ and for good reason. The Pacific Coast boasts a myriad of outdoor adventure activities,
catering to all ages including Beqa Lagoon, featuring the famous shark dive; white water rafting with Rivers Fiji; Zip Lining the rainforest canopy; Jet Ski
Safaris, 18 holes of championship golf, shopping, and much more.
Beqa is the traditional home of the firewalkers offering a unique cultural experience, plus there is a choice of restaurants & bars, shopping at
Art’s Village and other areas & shopping near to Suva.