INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FOCUSES ON BULA BUBBLE
OVERSEAS MEDIA TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT OUR NATION’S SITUATION
CEO Magazine, Stuff.co.nz, CNN, the Australian Financial Review, the Executive Traveller and the Daily Mail all covered our country’s efforts to target Australian and NZ tourism markets in the COVID-19 era.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s announcement on the Bula Bubble has received widespread attention and positive commentary in overseas media, from
CNN to the Australian Financial Review.
The CEO Magazine reported:
“The major Pacific Islands of Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu are free of coronavirus and Fiji has tentatively decided to open its borders.
“Fiji is the first country to open its borders as it is the only Pacific Island nation to have a World Health Organisation-certified testing laboratory. Fiji had 18 cases of COVID-19, but all people recovered and there have been no new cases for over two months.
“In a significant step, the island country is creating safe “blue lanes” for yacht and pleasure craft owners who are eager to sail to its beautiful tropical islands.
“This is especially true now, with New Zealand currently in the winter season. As those in our hospitality sector know, these ships – particularly super yachts – produce immense economic value for Fiji,” said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, in announcing “Phase 2” of the country’s COVID-Safe Economic Recovery on Sunday.
“Being alone at sea is a verifiable, self-contained quarantine. That means anyone coming by pleasure craft to Fiji, so long as they haven’t interacted with others, are very lowrisk, but their economic impact is very high reward.
“That’s why Fiji will also be establishing safe ‘blue lanes’, open to those yachts and pleasure craft sailing to Fiji. But the requirements are strict.”
Stuff.co.nz reported:
“The Fiji Government wants to open VIP (Vacation in Paradise) lanes for New Zealand and Australia travellers. This means trans-Tasman holidaymakers would be kept away from the public, and tourists from other countries, and be sent straight out to ANZAC
resorts. You wouldn’t be able to travel anywhere else, essentially making them luxury isolation facilities.
“To be eligible for the “Bula Bubble” you need to present a certificate from a “recognised medical institution” stating you isolated for 14 days before travel, and provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of their departure.”
CNN said:
“Bainimarama said he also hopes to open a Pacific pathways programme to visitors from Tuvalu, Kiribati and Tonga, with possible inclusions of Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, if the initial stages are successful.
“Visitors hoping to come to Fiji by sea instead of air can enter Fijian waters, if they meet certain criteria. Those on personal vessels who can show proof they have been at sea for at least 14 days will be tested for coronavirus upon arrival, while those who have not been will need to quarantine while docked in Fiji at their own expense. Visitors are responsible for paying for their coronavirus tests. Cruise ships, however, are banned indefinitely.”
Australian Financial Review reported:
“Australians looking to escape coronavirus lockdowns could soon be allowed to travel to the Pacific paradise of Fiji under a new “Bula Bubble” plan for safe tourism.
After lobbying to be part of Scott
Morrison and Jacinda Ardern’s transTasman travel bubble plan, Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on Sunday revealed plans for Fiji to move first.”
The Executive Traveller said:
“While New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand map out plans for COVIDsafe travel bubbles without a 14-day isolation period, Fiji’s ‘Bula Bubble’ will turn that quarantine into an indulgent two-week holiday. Even the necessary separation of inbound visitors from everybody else will be done in what the country calls VIP or ‘Vacation In Paradise’ lanes.”
The Daily Mail while quoting the Financial Review said:
“Australians and New Zealanders may be able to holiday in Fiji if they quarantine for 14 days before their flight and test negative to COVID-19 within 48 hours of departure. The ‘Bula Bubble’ proposal was unveiled by Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama on Sunday to kick start the tourist industry after international borders were locked during the coronavirus pandemic.
“While a start date has not been determined, Mr Bainimarama said he was working with Australia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to outline a safe travel strategy, the
reported.”