Yachting holds great potential for Fiji
Fiji Visitors Bureau CEO Bill says yesterday in the Fiji Times that catering for the yachting industry and developing local yachting tourism holds great potential and that the country’s strategic location gave it a distinct advantage.
He said, “The increase in the number of marinas in Fiji like the Vuda Marina, Musket Cove, Savusavu Marina, Suva Yacht Club and Denarau Marina signifies potential for more growth” adding, done right, such a niche market could help Fiji tourism bounce back bigger and better.
Mr Gavoka said the 2007 tourism master plan found that the opportunity exists for yacht repair and service industry and further marina developments that offer secure anchorage during cyclones.
He said there were a number of categories such as private cruise yachts that needed to establish a yacht entry/clearing station, adding, “Skippered charter yachts can be conditional depending on arrangement with the local community.”
“The opportunity here is in the Yasawas, Lomaiviti, Vanua Levu and Lau and super yachts are more luxurious than skippered charter yachts.”
Mr Gavoka said funding support would help build proper facilities such as marinas in strategic ports and with such facilities in place, the volume of traffic could increase significantly, making it a profitable niche tourism market, boosting overall tourism revenue.
“Revenue potential is great, they normally buy their supplies from local shops and spread benefits across all the islands they visit,” he said, adding, with the industry struggling to recover from the effects of the December takeover, Mr Gavoka said this was one more way of helping it bounce back.
Last month, the FVB said the industry needed another $9million for marketing to help it recover, the FVB and the Tourism Action Group receiving $10million for marketing in the revised 2007 Budget whereas the industry had hoped for $15million for the Bureau and $3.8m for TAG, with as a result, tourism marketing campaigns had to be revised.
Report by The Mole from The Fiji Times
John Alwyn-Jones
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