Fiji searches for new allies

Fiji Tourism Minister Bernadette Rounds-Ganilau visited Dubai recently and the Fiji Times published an interview about her views of Dubai: –

Fiji Times: What was the purpose of your trip to Dubai?

Rounds-Ganilau: I was invited by the World Tourism Organisation to speak at a meeting in Pakistan in April.  The organisation paid for my travel and because I could not go through New Zealand and Australia, I had to go through Korea and Dubai.

I spent a day in Dubai and as there had been interest there for the setting up of a travel agency for Fiji, I took advantage of this paid trip to meet with the owners.

Ms Regina Kamali Sio of the Kamali family in Suva lives there together with more than 50 families from Fiji and she works for the LWS Group of companies that represent several large corporate bodies and runs security companies throughout the United Arab Emirates.

I asked Regina if she could fill my day with appointments with potential investors/visitors/buyers for Fiji and that’s how it all started.

On that trip I met with the president of Emirates Airlines, Sheik Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum and Wayne Pearce, the vice president marketing for Etihad and to both them I offered Fiji as a destination of course it needs more than that but I invited them to visit Fiji.

I met with the media and a company that was in the process of setting up a travel agency to focus on Fiji and the Pacific, and with Leon Smith, owner of LWS.

It was through LWS and Ms Kamali Sio, who is his events director, that Fiji was invited to take part in the Dubai Heritage Surprises, an event during the Dubai Summer Surprise promotional event that features indigenous groups from around the world.

It was out of my first trip to Dubai and meetings with Gina that Fiji was invited, otherwise the event has been going for 10 years.  

Our rugby boys have been a hit there, but Fiji has never been invited to the Heritage Surprise so we felt this was a boon for Fiji at this time and good reason to go back.

Fiji Times: What did the government officials have to offer Fiji in terms of assistance and cooperation?

Rounds-Ganilau: I went to promote Fiji with the FIT entertainers at the BurJuman Mall, the Dubai Festival City and the Mercato Mall this was the first time Fiji was exposed to the people of Dubai, not just the rugby fans!

Fiji Times: What does Fiji have to gain from the trip or an alliance with Dubai?

Rounds-Ganilau: Exposure! We built bridges while there. The media was excellent, far more than the negativity we received here. We had a half page story on the day before we arrived and the Fiji community knew about it through that source.

Our first day was quite quiet but then we had television coverage every night for about 15 minutes and the crowds came. The troupe was even invited to a wedding last Monday night and they spent the day with the Fiji community in Alain and with the successful Fiji pilots who fly with Emirates. They are very well respected and loved, together with our nurses and I am so proud of them all.

Master Laisiasa Veikoso was telling me that from where he was on the stage all the women wearing traditional gear from head to toe were quite passive but when he looked down at their feet most of them were tapping away to the music!

We had three full pages of stories during my five days there. We gave out brochures of Fiji and talked to the crowds of people who wanted to know more about getting here and what we had available.

Fiji Times: What deals have you been able to secure with tourist operators in Dubai?

Rounds-Ganilau: The exposure and presence of Fiji was very important.

Minister for Commerce Taito Waradi and a delegation from his ministry went through a day ahead and through arrangements made by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce he was pleasantly surprised at the reception and response he had with the business representatives he met.

Their program was very full, so much so that it went right into the night. However, on Saturday, July 7, I hosted a day for Fiji at the Hilton Hotel Dubai Creek where we made our tourism and investment presentations together.

Tourism and travel agents were contacted and those who did not attend are having the package sent to them.

Representatives of corporate bodies and the royal families were there and there was a request for sugar but you will get that information from Mr Waradi.

This was a very special day for Fiji.  I was very fortunate to have the LWS Group pay half of the bill and with the help of Y P Reddy and the Reddy Group, Damend Gounder, Dick Smith, Dixon Seeto, Hafiz Khan, Robert Wade, Tammy Tam and myself put in the rest for the hire of the conference facilities and pay for the tea and luncheon.

We had to rely on friends and relatives to promote Fiji, that is the situation for us unfortunately.

Fiji Times: Do you think a carrier like Air Pacific would like to link up with such a destination as remote as Dubai?

Rounds-Ganilau: You’ll have to ask Air Pacific that.  Korean Air flies there from Fiji.

We’re looking for new allies, our old ones are giving up on us so if we are paid to go somewhere let’s take advantage of it and go fly the Fiji flag with pride and not just sit at home and whinge.

The Tourism Ministry, through the FVB, has no money for peripherals even no new publications or brochures, so let’s do it by pressing flesh and taking the Bula spirit with us wherever we go.  We took our own gifts and souvenirs to give away and promote Fiji!

Fiji Times: Do you see a major opening as a result of your trip? If so please elaborate?

Rounds-Ganilau: Of course! I took the opportunity to visit the bigger companies like the Jumeirah Group (owned by Prince Mohammed and other members of the royal family) and the Haptoor group and was very happy.

The Jumeirah Group includes beautiful hotels designed like a sail and as waves like the Burj Al Arab, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, the exquisite Madinat is like an ancient Arab settlement in absolute opulence and the unique Palm Island Jumeirah.

They were interested in Fiji Water, Pure Fiji and Fiji Pearls.

I was told that guests had asked for nothing but Fiji Water and the hotels have had to uplift it from Singapore at great expense as there are no distributors there for Fiji, so the LWS Group will write to these three companies.

That was only Jumeirah!

Other interested parties from the banks were interested in buying property in Fiji but I know that will be difficult seeing as the first face they will encounter will be the taxmen!

I was very excited about other interests proffered and I think that’s a good start don’t you think.

Report by The Mole