22 May, 2019
Na Turaga na Momo, na Tui Nadi;
Chair – Tourism Fiji;
CEO – Tourism Fiji;
Board Directors – Tourism Fiji,
Industry partners, from Fiji and abroad,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fijians are known for our big smiles and warm hearts, making us one of the most hospitable and happiest people in the world. From the moment you land, to your taxi ride to the hotel, right up to check-in at your hotel, you will be greeted with a hearty “Bula!”.
Allow me to extend the same hospitality to each of you here today, especially those who are visiting Fiji for the first time.
This year, there are about 158 international buyers and 14 international media who will be meeting more than 300 exhibitors. Some of you have travelled from as far as Ukraine, Italy and Netherlands to be with us.
Bula vinaka and welcome to the 2019 Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE)!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2019 marks the sixth year of the FTE, an event specifically designed to share the true essence of the Fijian tourism experience. This is my first FTE so I’m pleased to be officiating at this evening.
This year is a bigger and better event, we’ll showcase our wide range of tourism-related activities and products, some of which are new to the tourism industry. We have amongst us hoteliers, tour operators, activity providers, all of whom have something exceptional to offer. Whether it be for honeymoon, wedding, adventure seekers, MICE, the young and independent or families.
We did not have FTE last year, due to severe weather conditions, it is a reminder of the importance of working towards a sustainable tourism industry. Fiji, like other small island developing states, is suspectable to the impacts of climate change.
It is vital that everything we do, has to be done with the view of creating harmony between sustainability and development. We cannot and should not compromise our environment and culture for the growth of the tourism sector.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
You will see at the Expo, the Fijian Crafted Village, which has been an ongoing proud feature supported by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism under the Fijian Made – Buy Fijian Campaign.
We have 15 crafters present from different parts of Fiji. Some have travelled from afar to showcase their genuine crafts, share the unique stories associated with each craft and establish links here at the Expo. It goes without saying, supporting MSMEs means supporting the Fijian economy. So, I encourage you all to visit the lovely men and women at the Fijian Crafts Village and take a piece of Fiji back home with you or expand your coverage to include our authentic crafts and culture.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Tourism is paving the way for Fiji’s growth. The Fijian tourism industry has remained a resilient industry through the years. Last year, Fiji welcomed a record 870,309 visitors. The value of these visitors has also grown significantly during this period. Our industry is now worth $2 billion and is well on track to reaching the $2.2 billion industry target of the 2021. So, you can see, the Fijian tourism industry remains robust.
We have grown leaps and bounds since our last FTE in 2017. You would have seen the new iconic Nadi International Airport. This complements the new Fiji Airways route to Singapore and the recently introduced direct flights between Nadi and Narita, that has widened our reach to the affluential Asian markets.
Earlier this month, Fiji became the first Pacific Island Country to successfully host the 52nd Asian Development Bank Annual General Meeting. This event saw approximately 3,000 delegates from 80 countries attend. This surely put Fiji on the map in terms of our capacity to host events of such magnitude.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our national tourism brand of “Fiji – Where Happiness Finds You” is definitely more than mere words for us. It is ingrained in our everyday lives. It is our togetherness, our solidarity and our ability to find similarities in our differences, that has defied all odds and has enabled the emergence of the Fiji you see today.
The FTE and all of you present here today play an important role in the growth of our tourism industry. Having such a cross-sectoral platform allows us to directly engage with you. This gives rise to team work.
So, before I take my seat, I ask all of you to harness this team spirit over the next 3 days. Make contacts, forge new relationships, strengthen existing ones and most importantly, make lifelong friends.
As you walk through the exhibition floor and participate in business engagements, I’m confident you’ll learn to appreciate the things that make Fiji one of the happiest countries in the world.
To our visitors, buyers and sellers, I hope you enjoy our Fijian hospitality, take advantage of the fruitful exchanges and strengthen collaboration in your areas of interest.
With those few words, it gives me great pleasure to officially open the 2019 Fijian Tourism Expo – have an enjoyable evening.
Vinaka vakalevu. Thank you.