‘Maximise the use of relevant technology to Improve Your service delivery’
Like tourism, technology is very dynamic and equally vibrant. Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Lands and Mineral Resources, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya’s while officiating at the World Tourism Day Seminar yesterday said today’s world is increasingly becoming connected and interdependent with digital advancements.
The seminar was held at Tanoa Rakiraki Hotel.
World Tourism Day was celebrated on September 27 with the theme “Tourism and the Digital Transformation” highlights the need for investment in disruptive digital technologies.
Mr Koya said: “You may ask what is “disruptive technology”, it is technology that displaces an established technology and that can help foster an environment for innovation and entrepreneurship in the tourismindustry.
“Today’s world is increasingly becoming connected and interdependent with digital advancements. It is transforming how we inform ourselves - transforming our behavior, and encouraging innovation and sustainable, responsible growth strategies. “Therefore, we need not only new tools, but also new capacities and ways of thinking in our tourism industry to be able to capitalise on our position as the regional hub and ensure continued sustainable growth.
“It is essentially about connecting people and places and today, digitalisation has left no segment of the travel ecosystem untouched. Therefore, we must embrace it to enhance service delivery and be better connected to our customers,” he said.
About the seminar
Mr Koya said the main objective of yesterday’s seminar was to encourage inclusive participation and sustainable Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) growth. “The workshop is a means to provide MSME tourism operators, information on the changing global trends in terms of marketing tourism products to have increased participation in the Fijian Tourism Industry. “The Fijian Government, through seminars as such, supports the industry and specifically the MSME sector in capacity building and training, to bring you up to par with changes in the digital space and how best to utilise what’s available to grow your businesses. “To all speakers who will be imparting knowledge and raising awareness on services you provide, thank you for your support and committing your time and resources to assist our tourism MSMEs.
“To all participants, I encourage you all to learn as much as you can from presentations and discussions today. Utilise the experts in this Seminar to understand the diverse platforms for marketing and communication to effectively grow your markets and business. “Maximise the use of relevant technology to improve your service delivery and consequently be able to meet consumer demands. “This is why the Fijian Government has continued investments in the development of the ICT sector.
“This financial year alone, a total of $40 million will be used for projects, such as Digital Government Transformation for the development of mobile applications and business process re-engineering, Free Wi-Fi hotspots, promoting electronic transactions.”