Fiji Sun

Small Tourism Operators Urged to Go Digital More

- ANASEINI CIVAVONOVO­NO anaseini.civavonovo­no@fijisun.com.fj

Smaller tourism operators were urged yesterday to enhance their digital presence because the future is online.

Pacific Trade Invest Project co-ordinator for Investment and Tourism Onorina Fugawai says this is an important tool to utilise for their businesses.

The need came about after Pacific Trade Invest identified a gap in which local operators find challengin­g to access the tourism market.

Ms Fugawai said: “We saw the need to up skill the local tourism operators in their knowledge of digital marketing and provide practical steps to help tourism operators to increase their sales and their profitabil­ity,”

The digital tourism programme also supports the developmen­t of a booking and payment capable website.

“We will show them how to use it and also how to attract more visitors or business through web size and digital marketing,”Ms Fugawai said.

“After this workshop is that if they are interested in having a website built for them we will actually fund the de velopment of the website and all they do is pay the monthly hosting fee.”

Fiji Hotel and Tourism Associatio­n (FHTA) chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington also encouraged the smaller tourism operators to use the opportunit­y to their advantage.

She said: “The training provided by will help you understand why you need online presence, how you can build it yourself, and how to maintain online presence.” The topics covered at the digital tourism workshop to help enhance their digital presence include: The workshop was made possible through the partnershi­p of Pacific Trade Invest and Fiji Hotel and Tourism Associatio­n. The digital tourism workshop and training was held at the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation building in Suva.

About Pacific Trade Invest

*PTI Australia facilitate­s connection­s that supports private sector growth in the Pacific islands.

 ?? Photo: Maraia Vula ?? Digital Tourism Workshop facilitato­r Len Cordinar (right) with some of the workshop participan­ts on November 21,2018.
Photo: Maraia Vula Digital Tourism Workshop facilitato­r Len Cordinar (right) with some of the workshop participan­ts on November 21,2018.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Fiji