The tourism industry has been challenged to upgrade its earnings to $2.2 billion by the end of 2021 during the 20th annual ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards night at Denarau, Nadi on Saturday March 18th, 2017.
Prime Minister Honourable Voreqe Bainimarama said the Tourism Development Plan shall tie in with the National Development Plan which will be finalized later this year.
Mr. Bainimarama while listing the key features of the TDP reinforced the importance of the partnership between Government and the private sector in expanding and refining the tourism sector.
“The Tourism Development Plan is a comprehensive and practical blueprint to bring all of us together to achieve an ambitious goal over the next four years,” he said.
Key features of the TDP: To build an industry and is resilient, productive and focuses on quality; to refine and develop our existing markets and take the Fijian brand to markets yet to be tapped; to not only encourage more visitors to Fiji but encourage those visitors to spend more and improve our yields; To improve our training and address our skills shortages; To support existing businesses and encourage new ones, especially micro, small and medium operators; to improve co-ordination between the industry and government; to be resilient to climate change and global economic shocks; and most important of all, to develop everything in a sustainable and inclusive manner.
“Tonight is an opportunity to rub shoulders with the stars,” he said.
“Stars – Because that’s what you are, especially after your magnificent fight-back in the wake of Winston.
“It is little short of astonishing that in the year that Fiji was hit by the biggest cyclone ever to make landfall in the southern hemisphere, tourism numbers actually grew.”
