Going local way to go for tourism industry
Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has raised an important and serious issue for the tourism industry. He is spot on when he says the industry should change its attitude about Fijians booking into hotels or using their facilities.
It does not only affect Fijians living overseas and coming home for a holiday it also affects Fijians living here.
There have been instances where ethnicity and cultural background influences the decision to allow people into hotels. Priority is usually given to overseas tourists.
Locals will only get the same priority if they are well known public officials, business people, celebrities or those held in high standing because of their social, religious, cultural, political and economic status.
Sometimes people are judged by not only the colour of their skin but also how they look and dress.
It does not matter whether they have money to pay for hotel services. When locals turn up wearing flip flops, and shabbily dressed with bushy hair the perception seems to be that they do not have the money and are usually told there is no room available.
But when foreigners turn up in the same conditions they are welcomed with open arms, the industry cannot afford to continue with this attitude now and after the border reopens. It needs a change in thinking as Mr Sayed-Khaiyum says.
It is the locals who will provide the much needed revenue to keep the industry going before the border closure is lifted.
And after the border reopens we hope that locals will continue to be welcomed like overseas tourists. In a crisis like this the locals can fill the gap.
The industry is vulnerable not only to COVID-19 and other health threats but also to the impact of climate change.
Tourism like other industries must readjust the way it does business to survive and rebuild.
It needs to do more to offer attractive packages to locals to spend their holiday dollars here instead of waiting for their next overseas travel.