Accommodation

Shortage On

Fiji's Coral Coast

Despite numerous statistics on visitor accommodation put out

by government departments, Pip

still lacks a government plan for the development of tourism on an organised scale.

Managing director of the Fiji Visitors Bureau, Mr. Rory Scott, pressed again for such a plan in his report to a recent board meeting.

During his July visit to Australia, he said, travel wholesalers and re tailers he’d met were seriously con cerned about the lack of serviced accommodation on the Coral Coast.

“They have had to turn away business from Fiji for the last 10 months because of this situation— they are very unhappy about it,” he declared.

“Already Bali is being promoted as a better alternative to Fiji and Noumea.

“Cruises are also filling up more rapidly than last year and some part of the reason seems to be connected with this same lack of hotels (rather than motels or apartments) on the Coral Coast.”

Mr. Scott said the wheel of accom modation availability had come full circle in the space of three years since 1966.

“It begins to look as if we are going to have an endless cycle of alternating glut and famine in our hotel rooms situation,” he continued.

“The only way to avoid this is by the plan for tourism which has been advocated by many overseas experts.

“I believe we should now press government to draw up such a plan and then go out and sell it with vigour and determination.”

At the same board meeting, Mr.

W. S. Barrett, MLC, recommended that the government be asked to make information available on land that is available for hotel sites—and indicate its attitude towards develop ing access to such sites. • The New Caledonian Automo bile Club has announced that the 3rd Safari Caledonien motor rally around the island will be held this year over the weekend of November 1-2.

Last year’s Safari attracted 41 cars, with 12 crews flving across from Australia (F/M, Feb. p. 34).

At the end of the hazardous trial, only 26 of the 41 entrants crossed the finishing line.