Staff training is paying off

Press, 31 May 1977, Page 28

Staff training is paying off

The Fiji tourist industry is now beginning to reap the benefits of the effort it has put into staff training, according to a man who should know — Mr John Birch.

Formerly house manager of the Hermitage and assistant manager of the Waitangi, Mr Birch has been manager of the Tanoa group of hotels in Fiji for four years.

He is kept busy, not only personally, managing the Tanoa, near Nandi Airport, and supervising the Raki Raki Hotel, 83 miles away: he is also deeply involved in the national training of hotel staff, an interest that frequently keeps him on the road to and from Suva.

“There is no doubt that the hotel standards have greatly improved since a training school opened in Suva three years ago,’’ said Mr Birch. “In fact, I think that the

recession was probably quite a good thing for this industry. Tourism had grown so fast from 1969 to 1973 and everything was so easy, that people thought they didn’t have to try.”

Mr Birch prides himself that the Tanoa and Raki Raki hotels emphasise informality and the personal touch.

“The ideal situation is that the manager meets every guest,” he said. “In Raki Raki’s relaxed and friendly atmosphere that is possible, but here at the Tanoa, so close to the airport, we have a busy transit trade, especially at the week-ends, and such contact is not always possible.”

John is married to a Fijian, Ana (nee Ramacake), who was well-known in New Zealand athletics as a sprinter and long-jumper during the 19605. They have a three-year-old daughter.