Fiji tourism operator Tony Whitton has pleaded with the government to keep the Tourism Recovery Team and use it as a body to monitor challenges that may baffle the sector in the future.
The TRT was set up in 2021 and chaired by the Tourism Ministry’s permanent secretary and key industry stakeholders to handle the industry’s affairs prior to border reopening.
Mr Whitton said this critical tourism body was very effective during the COVID period as it brought key tourism stakeholders together to discuss the COVID crisis and formulate a road map to re-open the airport and return tourists to Fiji safely.
“All resolutions from these meetings flowed back to our membership and the entire industry was ONE,” Mr Whitton said.
“Going forward we will face challenges again, and this body should be able to convene swiftly when the industry is in crisis to evaluate the situation and then formulate a recovery plan.
“It is also important to note that over 35 per cent of all inward remittances comes from international visitors visiting Fiji for a holiday or meeting. It still is Fiji’s single most important and largest earner of foreign exchange, providing jobs directly and indirectly to over 100,000 people.”
Mr Whitton said that he remained very optimistic for the new year.
The managing director of Rosie Travel Group and Ahura Resorts said forward bookings were very strong.
Mr Whitton is the owner of a company that employs close to 600 people involved in the tourism industry, operating Fiji’s largest inbound tour company Rosie Holidays and owners of the 4-Star family resort Malolo Island Resort and the exclusive adults only luxury 5-Star Likuliku Lagoon Resort featuring over-water bungalows and the newly established Rosie BPO operation.
