Row over tourism figures continues
Tuesday August 21, 2007

The row between the interim government and tourism stakeholders on who is right regarding Fiji's first quarter visitor arrival figures is continuing.

Yesterday Interim Minister for Finance, National Planning and Sugar Industry, Mahendra Chaudhry hit out at the tourism industry stakeholders, calling on them to stop politicising figures on tourist arrivals and to look at the true picture as recently released by the Bureau of Statistics.

He also hit out at certain individuals within the tourism industry for what he calls "having vested interested in the Fiji Islands Visitors Bureau."

Chaudhry was referring to figures for the first quarter of this year, released by the Bureau of Statistics that claims the situation in the tourism industry was not as grim as portrayed by some tourism industry stakeholders.

However, the Bureau's statistics was rejected by the tourism sector that said there "seems to be a "disconnect" between government figures on tourism arrivals to Fiji and what happened in the first quarter of this year".

After the December 5 coup, industry stakeholders had lamented the dramatic drop in tourism numbers claiming that travel advisories by its main tourism markets (Australia and New Zealand) were keeping visitors away.

This had led to the reactivation of the Tourism Action Group (TAG) to promote Fiji overseas and attract visitors back to Fiji albeit at hugely discounted rates. The industry says it wants more money to promote Fiji overseas and asked the interim government for help.

But while Government last month promised to give $3.8 million to the industry, on the other hand it has held on tight to its purse strings saying the industry can promote itself very well on its own.

Chaudhry said they (the tourism stakeholders) have tended to politicize the issue rather that focusing on the providing tangible assistance and advice to the Ministry.

He claims that in many respects the 2007 figures were better than those of 2006.

Chaudhry said some stakeholders in the industry were using cooked-up figures to exert pressure on the Interim Government for the provision of more funds.

The Bureau reports that the total number of room nights occupied in hotels and resorts stood at 342,700 which is an increase of 2 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The report also shows that the number of beds sold to visitors increased by 1.9 per cent with 689,742 compared to 676,700 for the first quarter of 2006.

The Bureau revealed that with an increase in the number of rooms available in Fiji, the employment within the tourism industry increased with 8896 people employed compared to 8746 for the same period last year.

"There are positive signs of tourists coming to Fiji despite the various negative travel advisories issued."

However, Fiji Employer's Federation's Tourism and Transportation Council chairperson, Jim Sherlock says the Bureau's figures that paid employment in the hotel sector increased by 1.7 per cent for the first quarter of 2007 is "absolute rubbish".

"Everyone knows we have been laying-off staff and those who remain are on reduced hours," Sherlock had told a Fiji Employers Federation combined council meeting early August.

He says the Bureau's lack of meaningful data on tourist arrivals since 2004 was very disappointing.

For his part, Chaudhry says the number of people staying in hotels and resorts increased from Australia, the US, Canada, the Pacific Islands and other countries while there was a decrease in the number of people from New Zealand, Japan, the UK and continental European countries.

He said discussions with the tourism industry and Government must continue, to ensure that the common goal of making Fiji the most preferred destination for tourists is met.

"Industry stakeholders have been able in the past to work together and have demonstrated that the quick recovery is possible.

"Fiji's tourism market has proven that there is a unique attraction about it and that does make a difference."

The Ministry of Tourism received an allocation of $13.98 million in this year's revised 2007 budget.