Fiji seeks to lure back tourists

Press, 11 June 1987, Page 32

Fiji seeks to lure back tourists

NZPA special correspondent Suva

Air New Zealand would resume its services to Fiji “as soon as possible,” said its manager in Fiji, Mr Roger PoUlton. “It is our desire to come back to Fiji but I cannot, give an exact date. It would be very soon,” Mr Poulton told delegates at the Fiji Tourist conven-

tion at the Fijian hotel in Sigatoka. Air New Zealand suspended its services to Fiji after the attempted hijack

of one of its Boeing 747 jets it Nandi . Airport on May 19. The convention was told that / the New . Zealand Government was still

discouraging people from visiting Fiji. Concern was expressed also about the “damaging connotations” the use of words such as “coup,” “military,” 'and “political” had in distracting, tourists from coming to Fiji. ’ : ' L An Australian travel industry mission is due in Fiji on June 27 to assess the nation’s acceptability by tourists. ■ h- . 4 < J. The marketing manager

of the Fiji Visitors’ Bureau in Sydney, Mr Bill Whiting, said that the mission would include , gen- ; eral managers /of. major travel agencies and organisations, airlines, and travel writers. The visit was part of the “massive” task of con- / '

vincing Australians, New Zealanders and other tourists that Fiji’s attractions were undiminished, Mr Whiting told the convention. A similar mission would probably be organised from New Zealand, he said. Fiji had been expected to earn . about sFiji4 , million ($6.44, million) a week this year from tour-

ism, but since the coup almost ail bookings had been cancelled and only a “trickle” of new ' ones made, Mr Whiting said. - . The United States State Department said that there was no longer any reason for travellers to defer visits to Fiji. ■-