Luring the Tourists

Fiji Tourism convetion

Special Report

THE most urgent task for the 1990 Fiji Tourism Convention is to plan the country’s tourism future in the face of a rapidly grow ing industry and challenging international tourism market: the future is happening now, but is Fiji prepared?

By Penny Gibson

FIJI. The Future is Now” is the theme for this year’s convention, giving industry the opportunity to review the quality, value and uniqueness of Fiji and discuss how to adapt to

changing lifestyles, visitor expectations

and markets over the next decade.

Chairperson of the Tourism Conven tion Planning Committee, Bryan Watson, said the convention, from June 14-17 at Hyatt Regency, needed urgently to address industry needs: “The industry is on an upward trend and it will take a lot of serious planning to cope. Is the in frastructure, support, training, labour force there? Can we spoil it all overnight with too much business?” He said the Asian Development Bank’s tourism plan was complete, but needed to be decided

on and implemented immediately.

This is vital considering the number of hotel rooms will double to 7000 by 1995, and perhaps even quadruple by the year 2000, requiring an equivalent growth in services and infrastructure. The industry is set to become Fiji’s major income

earner.

Although the future looks bright, Wat son said people at this convention would be more cautious than in previous years as there was an awareness of Australian competition and the need to look at cur rent and new market sources.

A major issue the convention will dis cuss is the possibility and necessity of

establishing ‘Fiji Incorporated’, a body

which unites industry to promote Fiji with a single voice.

Watson said a number of such bodies in Asian countries were largely very suc

cessful. ‘Singapore Incorporated’ will

make a presentation at the convention and discussion will centre on whether all or part of the concept is applicable to Fiji and whether Fiji can provide a un ited front given the diversity of hotels, their different locations and emphasis.

Up to 400 people are expected to attend the convention, as many as 50 per cent from overseas, including wholesal ers, support industry representatives, air line and tourist operators and journal ists.

It will be divided into three sessions:

‘the key players’, ‘technology and the

tourist’ and ‘the human element’.

The ‘key players’ will be keynote

speaker, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister David Pickering who is ex

pected to make some major, positive

announcements particularly concerning

airlines, Australians John Brown and Bob Ansett, the Fiji Visitors Bureau and Air Pacific.

Brown is chairperson of the ‘Bounce back Australia’ campaign aimed at attracting tourists after the crippling pilots’ strike, and will speak on ‘Where World Tourism is Heading’, focussing on the Pacific Rim, the development and changes in existing markets and the growth or emergence of markets for Fiji.

Although Brown’s campaign puts Au stralia in direct competition with Fiji, Watson said Brown’s presentation should help Fiji prepare for the next few years.

Ansett, the former Chief Executive of

Budget Rent-a-Car, now provides

marketing advice, franchising know-how

and specialises in how corporations can create a customer service culture within their own organisation. He will speak on ‘Service and excellence’ in the Fiji con text.

Day two will be devoted to technology and the tourist. Peter Ernest, Director of the Phoenix Programme at Hyatt Coolum in Queensland, will talk on

The Hyatt Regency: venue of Fiji Tourism Convention 90.

‘Lifestyles of the Future’, the expecta tions of tourists in the future and what Fiji needs to do to capitalise on tourists’ wants, needs and expectations.

Keith Williams, developer of Austra lia’s Hamilton Island Resort, will speak on megaresorts and their relevance to Fiji, including their concept, financing, development, marketing and human re sources development. This is a growth area in Fiji, with large multi-hotel, con dominium and marina complexes plan ned for Denarau Island, Vulani Island, Nasoso Island, Natadola and Saweni over the next decade.

Tim Wagg, Wholesale Manager of Jet set Tours Australia, will discuss the wholesaler’s role in light of technological advances, and the requirements of the industry in Fiji to keep pace with de velopments. How will wholesalers market destinations in the future and what are the implications for Fiji?

The Vice-President Advanced Produc tivity of Canadian Airlines, Peter Kivert su, will speak on ‘People Movers of the Future’.

The final day will address the human element, including Fiji’s Education Minister, Filipe Bole, looking at ‘Train ing for the Future’. Because tourism is a major player in Fiji, providing excellent career prospects and generating a great demand for labour, Watson hopes the Minister will announce that tourism and its implications for Fiji will be included in school curricula.

Army chief Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka will speak on ‘lnterfacing with Fijian Culture’, how tourism and culture

affect each other, the role culture plays in attracting tourists and what Fijians ex pect from tourism.

There will also be a panel discussion on relevant issues. Watson said part of this would focus on the future of the convention: the volunteer 14-member committee currently comprises top man agers in the industry who will have less time and human resources to devote as industry upturns. Watson said he hoped the Government will announce the Visi tors’ Bureau will run the convention on a commercial basis, perhaps as part of the establishment of ‘Fiji Incorporated’.

The convention will also have a Travel Mart, 35 booths where Fiji industry can display their wares and services. It will host the finals of the Barman of the Year Awards and Salon Culinaire com petition (to show what can be done with local food) and announce Poster, Brochure and Advertising Awards. □

Ansett and Pickering: looking for new solutions.