Talks of more Super Games here begins
Massive Suva turnout pleases World Rugby boss.
I’m very confident we’ll get a lot of people coming over. The combination of Fiji hospitality, Fijian resorts and the islands. Supporting your own team will be irresistible in my view. Brian Thorburn CEO, Fijian Drua
Move underway to promote holiday packages for rugby supporters.
Talks are underway for Fiji to host more Super Rugby matches in the 2023 season. Following the record-crowd attendance of the 2022 Super Rugby season in Suva last Saturday, Fijian Drua chief executive officer Brian Thorburn said they hope to host five to six games here and it would be a combination of Australian and New Zealand teams.
So far, only Super Rugby teams from New Zealand – Crusaders, Highlanders and Chief – have played here.
“We are working with Tourism Fiji and other stakeholders as well. Fiji Airways, through their Fiji Holidays brand, are going to offer marketing packages to Chiefs supporters in Hamilton and Auckland. So, we’re hopeful of bring in quite a number of supporters from New Zealand,” Thorburn said.
While in Melbourne last week, Thorburn said he spoke to Super Rugby Pacific chief executive officer Brandon Morris, and Chiefs CEO Michael Collins.
“The CEO for Chiefs said he intended to bring a big group of sponsors over,” he said.
“So, we’re going to finalise all of that, and it will certainly be a significant inbound visitation. That is what drives economic impact and benefit whether its flights, accommodation or taxis. This is a really important point for economic impact, particularly for Fiji.
“New Zealand has been closed for holidays and for a very long period of time because of COVID-19. Australia and New Zealand are Fiji’s biggest inbound tourist markets and as we’ve only got two games this year and we had short runaways to promote them. We’ll do what we can for the Chiefs.