What coup? – Business as Usual in Fiji – well not quite

A report today by AFP says, that along Fiji’s Coral Coast, the empty deckchairs and silent restaurants all point to the disastrous impact of the military coup on
the tourism industry – the lifeblood of the South Pacific nation’s economy.

But some have chosen to ignore the official travel warnings and television and newspaper pictures of military checkpoints and soldiers patrolling on the streets of the capital Suva.

They wonder what the fuss is all about after Tuesday’s grab for power by military commander Commodore Bainimarama, the country’s fourth coup in less than two decades.

“We’re having the best time,” enthused 19-year-old James Sant from Sydney, Australia and  “It’s perfect,” chimed in friend Justin Chen as they worked on their tans next to the nearly empty resort swimming pool.  “I think its all been blown up in the Australian media,” he added. “We are so far away from Suva, there is nothing happening here.”

Reports say a wave of cancellations are hitting Fiji resorts while tourists say they have been told bookings have fallen 40% to 50% and Fiji’s national airline Air Pacific says bookings are down 40% for the next three months.

The military checkpoints that ring Suva are nowhere to be seen on the Coral Coast, one of Fiji’s top tourist centres. The coast is dotted with resorts, sleepy villages and farms.

The nearest military checkpoint is an hour’s drive away in Nadi, Fiji’s international gateway and centre for the tourism industry.

For those tourists who have gone ahead with their holidays, they have the pick of the best spots by the pool, leisure facilities and restaurants.  “Everything is available for us, but you feel sorry for the local people, who are losing work”.  

“It’s not something they should have to go through, there is hardly anyonecoming in now,” said Chen.

At the Baravi Handicrafts Centre on the main road passing through the Coral Coast, the shop’s motto -“Browse in Peace” – seems like a bad joke these days with seven assistants in the large shop stocking wooden carvings, jewellery, Fijian-themed clothing and other souvenirs waiting behind the counter as one or two visitors browse.

“We have been very quiet since the beginning of November, last month we did about a third of our normal business and this month so far we are down about 90%”, said Manager Manoj Reddy.

“We are hoping the situation will improve and it will be better after Christmas which is usually a good time for us”.  “It is a shame because there is nothing wrong here, everything is okay,” Reddy added.

The atmosphere on the Coral Coast with its sunshine and reef-fringed beaches and military-free roads contrasts with the uneasy calm in the capital and the condemnations of foreign governments.

Australia has three naval ships just outside Fiji’s territorial waters, ready to help evacuate its citizens if violence breaks out, “Australia has got three warships over there,” said South Australian farmer Peter McInnes, pointing over the lagoon to the horizon.  “What a waste of time. They are just frightening people away from coming.”

Ute Wolfrum, from Cologne in Germany, has been in Fiji for a week with a group of 20 other Germans and knew nothing about the situation developing in Fiji when they arrived a couple of days before the coup.  “But after we arrived, it was explained what was happening and we were advised not to worry about it. I have had no worries and have felt very secure all the time we have been here,” she said, enjoying the afternoon sunshine before her flight out later in the day.

In a straw poll undertaken by The Mole today, travel agents said that they were not seeing any cancellations and while bookings ahead were down, the reason was that most people did not understand that Suva is the capital and miles away from the resorts, with any troubles limited to Suva.  Also travel insurance was not void because of the coup as insurance did not not cover things like that any more, but all other elements were still covered.  They added, there is no reason whatsoever that Australians should not continue travelling to Fiji.

Report by The Mole from AFP and direct reports