20th May, 2016, Gold Coast, AUSTRALIA- A top travel operator in Fiji says he has been getting a lot of queries on the Cyclone Winston update and the current news of the Zika outbreak in Fiji.

Eroni Puamau General Manager of Rosie Holidays Fiji said however that many buyers were updated well through travel trade updates and this could be attributed to the good communication being generated.

“They are fully aware of what's happening in Fiji after cyclone Winston and they realise that Fiji is now back on its feet and they are very supportive of re-engaging with Fiji in terms of promotional activities and sending their clients to Fiji.

“So it is heart warming to hear from our partners that despite what they have heard has happened they are supportive of us.

“We are thankful we have true partners willing to stand by us and we have had amazing support from them.

He said another issue was the zika virus being circulated through advisories and it has also been raised as a point of concern by a number of buyers but from our perspective its really about taking the normal precautions as one would particularly in terms of going on vacation.

Mr Puamau said the South Pacific Tourism Exchange – has been historically for us a very important trade event to come and attend because we have the opportunity to come and meet not only our existing partners from around the world but we meet and engage with potentially new partners interested in expanding  their business interests in our part of the world.

“It is an excellent forum in not only maintaining existing relationships but to forge new relationships which obviously is important to our business but also to the destinations,” he said.

“Everytime we engage a new tour operator to sell Fiji or the Pacific means new wealth and more money for our tourism economy.  Tourism is the main driver of many of our economies in the Pacific.

“SPTE for us represents that platform of which we can maximize – obviously a lot of tourism operators see SPTE as very worthwhile event for them to come and not just engage in one destination but a multitude of destinations,” he said.

South Pacific Tourism Organisation Acting Chief Executive Alisi Lutu said companies like Rosie Holidays were amongst the top travel operators in Fiji that also package other Pacific Island products and for them to hail the importance of SPTE was a statement in itself.

“We have also received queries from buyers about the state of our members like Fiji and Vanuatu who have suffered recently from natural disasters,” she said.

“What is encouraging though is the way these nations have recovered and come back strongly to market their destinations again and Fiji and Vanuatu's strong presence here is testimony to their resolve.”

About SPTO

 Established in 1983 as the Tourism Council of the South Pacific, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is the mandated organisation representing Tourism in the region.

Its 18 Government members are American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the People's Republic of China. In addition to government members, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation enlists a private sector membership base.