Group’s $1m investment

THE Rosie Travel Group has broken new ground with an investment of $1million in electricity tourist passenger vehicles, the first Fiji tourism company to do so.

The company unveiled the EV fleet at their transportation hub in Namaka this week.

With this initiative, the company becomes the only travel agency in Fiji to provide hotel transfers for foreign guests that have zero emissions in a bid to contribute to the sustainable transformation of Fiji’s tourism industry.

Group general manager Eroni Puamau said the company was celebrating its 50th year in tourism this year.

“With this long history, Rosie’s has always been at the forefront of major change and innovation in tourism,” he said.

“The next frontier for our business is sustainable practices.

“It is important that we are responsible for how we want our tourism future to be — one that is sustainable in its care for our environment and for those with whom we bring into the country to share it with.”

Managing director Tony Whitton said the historic milestone marked the first step as the company moves towards their target of having a 100 per cent fleet of zero emission vehicles.

“This includes the fleet of EV vehicles but also Fiji’s first ever Direct Current Solar-powered fast charging stations,” he said.

“Meaning we can recharge our cars from 1 per cent to 100 per cent in 20 minutes and get them back on the road.”

Mr Whitton said $1million investment aligned with the Government’s National Sustainable Tourism Framework.

In 2023 after undertaking a thorough review of EV vehicles that would be suitable for Fiji’s market conditions, Rosie’s partnered with Vision Motors Fiji to source the 7-seater MPV MIFA9 manufactured in China by MAXUS and is already very popular in Australia and New Zealand with a driving range of more than 400 kilometres.

“This is a big day for Fiji as we take the first step to invest in a green tourism transportation vehicle,” he said.

Mr Whitton hopes to have at least 50 per cent of the company’s private car fleet powered by the sun by 2030.

“No more filling up at service stations, no more fossil fuel, we will just need direct sunlight, and that we have abundance of,” he said.

“It’s ambitious but by God, we will give it a go. Imagine the day when international visitors that come to our shore will say it’s interesting when you visit Fiji that every second car is electric.”

Meaning we can recharge our cars from 1 per cent to 100 per cent in 20 minutes and get them back on the road – Tony Whitton