Association backs vaccination campaign

FIJI Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) is supporting the Fijian Government’s nationwide vaccination campaign as the executive committee endorsed this during its meeting on Friday, June 18, 2021.

FHTA chief executive officer Fantasha Lockington said, “We recognise that it is only through a sufficiently vaccinated population that we will be able to safely and effectively reopen our borders to allow tourism to once again become the major contributor to foreign exchange earnings, provide the highest employment options and restart

its multiplier effects and benefits throughout the economy.”

FHTA stated the vaccination campaign was targeting the inoculation of 80 per cent of Fiji’s adult population.

It was also working towards ensuring this critical layer of protection supports the industry’s current adoption of the COVID safe practices which have been in place since April last year.

FHTA continued to encourage all eligible adults in the tourism industry and surrounding communities it operates within to be vaccinated to keep its staff members, guests and communities safe.

The association acknowledged workers had the choice to not be vaccinated however it supported the rights of tourism employers to require vaccination as a condition of employment for the protection of all and would guide members accordingly.

The association stated it had always maintained that COVID safe practices of frequent hand washing, social distancing, avoiding crowds and the wearing of masks be part of the industry’s new normal.