Tourism Update: Fiji

Tourism Fiji has reported that the bulk of the country’s tourism plant located on Viti Levu, in the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands is fully operational and has been completely unaffected by the passing of Tropical Cyclone Tomas.

 Inter-island ferries in the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands including South Sea Cruises have resumed operations.

Captain Cook Cruises recommenced sailing last night (Tuesday) and Blue Lagoon Cruises is expected to sail from its home port of Lautoka tomorrow (Thursday).

Domestic carrier Pacific Sun has also recommenced its daily air services between Nadi and Suva.

While business has resumed to near normalcy in the key tourist areas, the north-eastern and central regions which bore the brunt of the cyclone’s passing have been declared a disaster zone by Fiji's Disaster Management Authority (DISMAC).

Local authorities have advised power supplies and telephone lines in some areas in the north eastern region are still out.

According to regular communication being received from hoteliers and resort operators in the north-eastern division via satellite and cell phones, all reports indicate that all guests and staff in Vanua Levu, Taveuni and Savusavu are safe and tourism plant has suffered damages.

But flights to all three areas are still on hold while local aviation authorities assess damage to runways and airport facilities.

Tourism Fiji’s CEO, Josefa Tuamoto, said that while the north-east has suffered as a result of the cyclone, he was confident the region would return to normalcy in very quick time.

“We Fijians are an extremely resilient people,” he said. “While TC Tomas is one of the bigger weather fronts we have experienced in recent times, none the less we have become very experienced at preparing for these kinds of events.

“We are extremely grateful that any inconvenience this situation has incurred for our international visitors has been kept to an absolute minimum, particularly on Viti Levu and in the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands ... These areas have not been affected at all and are very much back to business as usual.”

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