Development Plan

Five Year Tourist Development Plan Proposed For Fiji

A comprehensive programme for the development of tourism in Fiji is suggested in a survey of the industry made by a firm of United States con sultants. The survey, commissioned by the Government, was made by Mr.

T. Maschal, a partner in the firm of Harris Kerr, Forster and Company, of San Francisco.

THE recommendations include a five-year plan for the development of roads, beaches, parks and other natural attractions; substantial Gov ernment assistance in providing access roads and water and power services to hotel development sites; reorganisation of the Fiji Visitors Bureau to make it more representa tive of the travel and tourist in dustry; more money for the Bureau from Government and from com merce and industry; and provision of at least an additional £1 million to the Agricultural and Industrial Loans Board to help finance hotel con struction and other tourist facilities.

The report says that if there is aggressive action in promoting and publicising Fiji and the provision of more tourist facilities, the Colony could reasonably expect to have about 85,000 to 90,000 tourists in 1970 compared with about 31,600 last year.

It comments: “The time is here when specific decisions should be

ie, policies established and a •print laid out for the full elopment of travel and tourist lities rather than permitting these be developed piecemeal. It will a serious error for Fiji to con e to permit the growth of the •ist industry on the basis of the jsure of immediate needs”, ifter forecasting that visitors to should rise to 85,000 in 1970, report estimates that 800 ad mal guest rooms will be needed •ater for them. These should be /ided at a rate of about 130 ns a year for the next six years. ; is suggested that 350 additional ns should be provided along the ;h coast of Viti Levu, the “Coral st”, 200 in Suva, 50 near Nadi >ort, 50 on the north coast of Levu, and three of 50 rooms i in the outer islands, he report recommends the dopment of modern resort lities near Levuka, Savusavu and euni. It admits that there would problems in doing this but jests that Government should pro : special help in these areas in dding roads, power and water, he report points out that the ative budget of the Fiji Visitors sau for 1965 is £32,500, of which per cent, is provided by Govem it and 24 per cent, by commerce industry. states: “The funds available for conduct of the bureau are greatly lequate in relation to the activities :h the bureau should be con ing and in comparison with the mditure of other countries”, recommends that the funds pro d for the bureau should be a entage of tourist expenditure, i for 1965 would work out at 000 of which Government would r ide 80 per cent, and commerce industry, through membership ;, 20 per cent. It says the bureau ild be reorganised with member extended to representatives from merce and industry who support lancially.

R. Herbert Moller Has

been appointed manager of > Pago’s new hotel, the Pago ) Intercontinental. Mr. Moller, is married with three children, managed Intercontinental hotels reland and Yugoslavia, and has hotel and restaurant positions in land, California, Hartford, Con icut, and New York City.