Palau welcomes tourists, Cook Is still waiting
Quarantine free trouble has begun between Palau and Taiwan with the arrival of Palau’s first inbound tourism flight since March last year. Palau’s President, Surangel Whipps, Jr. returned to Palau from Taiwan on
Local produce, local menus
When 116 farmers in Fiji’s western division received ‘Cash for Cultivation’ from the government, Agriculture Minister Dr Mahendra Reddy told them: “We want the demand for vegetables, fresh produce,
Fiji business briefs: BSP, Pleass, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association
Bank of South Pacific (BSP) plans to list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). BSP has given notice of its intention to change its constitution to allow for dual listing in Australia as well as its current
Opinion: The road to a Pacific Island economic recovery requires regional solutions
A step up in engagement by the Australian and New Zealand governments, combined with regional and international economic support over the past year, has cushioned the initial blow of Covid-19. Moving forward,
Bleak prospects for Pacific tourism
Pacific island countries should not expect international travel to resume in earnest until late 2021, travel and aviation experts have warned. ‘You should forget the US market for 2021, as well as Europe and the
Fiji optimistic of growth as economic decline persists
Fiji’s central bank is projecting the country’s economic growth to climb back into positive territory next year, after revising this year’s historic contraction to negative 19 percent from an earlier estimate of
The World’s toughest race: How can Fiji win
When World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji first screened earlier this year, international audiences vicariously took a road less travelled. The competition, which pitted 66 teams across 671 kilometres,
Jobless numbers soar in Fiji
Unscripted and unplanned, Fijians have returned quietly to the land and the sea over the past months as the impacts of job losses brought about by the COVID19 pandemic began to bite. In the tourism belts of Nadi and
Fiji tourism prepares for a COVID-safe future
As Fiji’s largest foreign exchange earner pre-COVID-19, the tourism and hospitality sectors went into free fall when international borders closed due to the spread of the pandemic, and the nation entered into lock
‘A little bit of maybe’ on easier Australian terms for infrastructure debt and new aid
Australia’s Assistant Treasurer says in the post-COVID environment Canberra is willing to re-examine its policies including loan concessionality, debt consolidation and aid allocations to Pacific Islands nations but
Yachtie calls on Aust, NZ to set up Blue Lanes
The skipper of a yacht that has just been cleared under Fiji’s ‘Blue Lane’ program says Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific island nations should follow Fiji’s lead and create an easy pathway for yachts to
F$25m price tag for Beachcomber Island Resort
One of Fiji’s oldest island resorts is now on the market. Beachcomber Island Resort in the Mamanuca islands in Western Viti Levu was chalked onto the “For Sale” list by Bayleys Real Estate this week with a price
Back to farming Fiji goes
Fresh from a 10-day tour of Viti Levu – Fiji’s main island – our July cover story shares what we saw as Fijians adjust to the economic and social shocks brought about by the COVID19 pandemic. Employees of
Fiji resilience: Chef Shain
Seeing Shain hold and play with her daughter, and you can tell that 4-year-old Sarah is her world. Her job was another important part of her life at one time, until three months ago when that world came crashing around
Why we’re bailing out Fiji Airways: FNPF
The Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) is helping to bail out Fiji Airways as it is a strategic investment for tourism, which accounts for around 16 percent of the Fund’s investment portfolio. While
The future of tourism
The end of breakfast buffets and garlanding on arrival. The rise of virtual travel experiences. The longing for solitude and simplicity. This is just a sample of the travel predictions being debated across the globe as
Fiji Airways lays off workers, seeks urgent loan
The Fiji Parliament will be today asked to urgently grant a government guarantee for a loan to keep Fiji Airways afloat, as the adverse impacts of the COVID19 pandemic begin to bite on the national airline.
Pacific travel bubble should be “cautious and incremental”: SPTO
A new report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Pacific’s tourism industry and recovery strategies has recommended immediate wage support, microgrants to industry operators and changes in the tax regimes as
FNPF bargain-hunts for cheap assets
The Fiji National Provident Fund is eyeing good bargains in the assets-for-sale space, as the coronavirus pandemic coughs up distressed companies either looking for cash or offering themselves up for sale. FNPF CEO
Fiji faced with a potential US$608 million tourism loss
Fiji is looking at a potential loss of F$1.4 billion (US$608 million) in tourism earnings as global travel grinds to a halt by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This is according to a recent assessment by the ANZ Bank
Fiji resort to change hands after scam trial
A Fijian resort will change hands after an Australian salesman found guilty of swindling customers of $AUD190million was forced to hand over his interests in the property. Bounty Resort which lies between Nadi and the
“We are the niche”: Tourism Solomons CEO
Late last month, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare praised Tourism Solomons for its “relentless effort” to consistently grow visitor arrivals. PM Sogavare also expressed optimism about the
Kokomo resort lays off staff
Reports have emerged from Kokomo Island resort that 60 staff have been laid off. Kokomo General Manager Martin Persson says the workforce had been at an augmented (enlarged) level to support “development, construction