‘There are no typical days for me it’s the nature of the beast with an industry like tourism, as many people in it will agree.’
Fantasha Lockington, chief executive officer, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association
Fantasha “I swear it keeps me sane,” she says of her one other interest.
“And they don’t talk back.”
Mrs Lockington is the chief executive officer of Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, the third female to take up the position in a role that she has held since 2017.
Not many know the soft side of her that include quirky details like the fact that she has never been able to eat beef or chicken liver.
“And not many people know my first grandson arrived a month ago to take up space in my heart, next to my two beautiful granddaughters,” Mrs Lockington said.
“I have Indian, Irish and Fijian ancestry that I am very proud of.”
She measures her success by her children.
“They are well adjusted, educated adults who I can trust to do the right thing - well, 99 per cent of the time anyway,” Mrs Lockingston said.
“They are the reason I have oodles of patience.”
Mrs Lockington wears many hats.
She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors with a Masters of Business Administration from the University of the South Pacific.
Mrs Lockington has several International Air Transport Association related management qualifications.
She plays an active role in supporting private sector consultation and collaboration to strengthen and promote resilient business environment in the:
Lockington
■ Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC), loves gardening.
■ Fiji National University’s National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) Advisory Board,
■ Employment Relations Advisory Board (ERAB),
■ University of the South Pacific’s Pacific TAFE Industry Advisory Committee,
■ Fiji Commerce and Employment Federation Board and Councils for Tourism and Transport and Business Disaster Reliance, and
■ Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) Board.
Given the diverse nature of the roles she plays, Mrs Lockington said she juggles her many hats by planning, planning and more planning.
“I am an organised
Below is an excerpt of with Mrs Lockington: freak,” she confessed. an interview
How has COVID-19 affected you personally, given the heavy role you play in leading Fiji’s tourism sector?
It has had, and still is, a devastating impact on the industry I have not only spent nearly 40 years, in but care very deeply and passionately about what happens in it.
In my current position, I have a unique, almost birds-eye view of the industry and get to see, hear and feel what’s happening from the perspectives of members who are directly in the industry.
As well as from associate members who are part of the vast supply chain networks that feed and feed off the industry.
But more importantly, I was raised and worked in the tourism hot spots, where I raised my own family - so I have family and friends who are still very much a part of the tourism fabric.
I, therefore, care very deeply about how the industry works, its positive and negative effects, what it means for employment, for business, for the towns and cities, and what it means for the economy.
How do you see the tourism sector evolving post-COVID-19?
I believe it is changing and will continue to change how people perceive a holiday, business trips or a reason for travelling.
Climate change impacts the enforced pause on the global economy that made us rethink what we’re offering as a holiday destination, our service and products generally.
If you don’t believe me - all I can say is wait and see.
Like many things that happen for a reason - maybe mother nature simply decided human beings needed to be slowed down - COVID-19 is forcing us to re-evaluate what we’re doing and how.
As in “every cloud has one”, perhaps Fiji will work out what our “silver lining” will be.
But I foresee that Fiji maintaining its safe branding and label could also bode well for the country development-wise.
Developing more eco-friendly, naturebased tourism activities and themes, is a big one that Fiji should not miss the boat on.
Millions of locked down people around the world realise there are safer, cleaner, better places to be on earth.
Older people now feel more vulnerable in congested cities with great health facilities, but terrible access to clean, open spaces.
If we upgraded our health facilities to improve confidence levels for health compromised people, they might choose to live in Fiji for longer periods.
Maybe we could introduce medical tourism and be a prefered place for retirees to return to.
Instead many people live and work in Fiji for years then when they reach retirement, go overseas because they need to be closer to better medical facilities.
Yet when COVID-19 hit, many of them returned here to “wait it out”.
Tell us about the challenges you have since faced in the industry on the back of COVID-19.
The biggest one is obviously when the Government shut the borders and many businesses no longer had a revenue stream to rely on via international visitors coming in.
This essentially meant that the employers had no work to offer to employees and had to let them go.
Even with the local domestic tourism efforts and the trickling in of visitors through the Blue Lanes and VIP Lanes, 60 per cent of our members are either closed or only open on weekends and holidays.
That is no way to run any sort of business because it means that you still have a steady expense line and an intermittently spiking, small revenue line. So many small businesses cannot cope with little or limited cash flows and are forced to shut.
What are some of your recommendations in meeting such challenges?
It’s all about managing cash flows, reducing your overheads and being as smart with your business as you can possibly be - whether it’s the way you reshape your product offering, manage your payments or capitalize on opportunitiesand there are opportunities.
Keep in mind that with borders shut to visitors coming in, it is also closed to Fijians going out.
So, capturing the market that would have otherwise gone on holiday overseas is an opportunity.
Not everyone wants a cheap place to stay with a swimming pool for the kids.
We have many very educated, well travelled Fijians who love to try new food places and enjoy quality wine while watching some of our world-famous sunsets.
They’ve been using this time to try out what our international visitors pay a lot of money for and travel thousands of miles to get to.
Please share with us the highlights of your journey to where you are today as CEO of FHTA.
There are no “typical” days for me- it’s the nature of the beast with an industry like tourism, as many people in it will agree.
Some nights, I’m up until 2 am finishing submissions that highlight what industry members are going through .
And then spending most of the next day trying to get a meeting with a Government agency to clarify a business process that is only experienced in tourism, and therefore at odds with a particular regulation that is limiting those businesses’ ability to continue to do business viably or limits their ability to grow.
I find face-to-face meetings clarify situations better, then the written explanation eventually makes more sense to them, and we can work together on solutions or improvements.
Other days are spent in meetings, discussions and consultations in efforts to find solutions to issues, work on development plans or simply to provide the tourism perspective for upskilling, educational programmes, technical and vocational education and training, regulatory compliance and business process improvements.
And on other days, I am spending time listening to our members around Fiji on matters of importance to them.
FHTA has a host of active sub-committees that include marine and yachting, environment, proprietary rights, human resources, marketing, domestic transport, policy and legal, taxes and dive.
We get input from our members on a range of issues, from diverse sectors, and who are located all over Fiji.
I have to be a good listener and be very, very patient.