Pickering’s trump card

THE announcement that a North American carrier will begin servic ing Fiji is likely to be made by the Minister for Tourism, Civil Aviation and Energy, David Pickering, in his keynote address to the Fiji Tourism Convention this month at the Hyatt Regency. Picker ing said a North American carrier was one of the immediate needs to ensure continued growth in Fiji’s tourism in dustry.

Other pressing issues the industry must address are increasing the amount of hotel accommodation available and making Fijians aware of how important the industry is to Fiji and its people.

Pickering said the interim Government placed high priority on tourism as one of the most important sources of foreign exchange earning. This was made evi dent after 1987; when most ministries had budget cuts, tourism didn’t, and in the last three years has been given funds additional to budget allocations, largely for the Fiji Visitors Bureau. “The Gov ernment has tried to be the catalyst in pursuing hotel development to ensure sufficient accommodation. There are several hotels now in the pipeline.” As

part of this support, the Government has agreed to put $2 million into the Saweni project and $lO million into Natadola for infrastructure development such as water and roads,” he says.

“1 hope the convention will allow opportunities for people within all walks in the industry to discuss ways and means of improving the industry as a whole, particularly for the transporters, hoteliers and wholesalers involved. The convention generally tends to be an opportunity for Government during the keynote speech to set the form for some aspects to assist industry and the indus-

try as a whole to suggest ways and means the Government may assist.”

With the theme of the convention, Fiji.

The Future is Now, Pickering said tour ism in Fiji certainly would be ready for the 21st Century when it came. He said the Government had already supported the effort to improve tourism and the interim Government would continue to do so. At present, the Government has a steering committee of all relevant minis tries and infrastructure bodies to smooth the way once new hotel projects using off-shore capital have been approved.

Developers of any new project or ex

isting project undergoing expansion set

off 55 per cent of approved capital ex

penditure on buildings against tax, writ

ten out over six years. The hotels have

duty concessions on imported goods for

use in hotels and overseas hotel chains are allowed to remit money off-shore.

Pickering said his ministry was aware of the necessity to preserve, maintain and encourage awareness of culture among Fijians. Current projects include running jingles on radio to raise local awareness of the importance of culture to tourists and the need to maintain the culture and friendliness. This is to be supplemented by posters and a video, funded by Australian aid. □

Saweni Resort: a signboard and government promise.