World Tourism Cities Federation Partners with Tourism Fiji to Promote Fiji

Source: Tourism Fiji

World Tourism Cities Federation partners with Tourism Fiji aims to promote Fiji on the World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development at the China International Fair. The trade in Services held on the 5th of Sep in Beijing, was supported by H.E. Manasa Tagicakibau, Ambassador of the Republic of Fiji in China.

Tourism Fiji and WTCF closely collaborated on the highlights of Fiji's exciting travel experience and tourism resources at the WTCF booth. The booth adopted AR (augmented reality), holographic display, and other technical means to showcase the grand occasions of previous Fragrant Hills Tourism Summits, the academic research of WTCF, and the charm of its city members. In addition, visitors were also provided with an interactive experience at the booth. The new virtual reality tech was adopted to promote Fiji during the expo giving people a sense of excitement for a possible future trip to Fiji although borders are not open yet. Tourism Fiji also introduced the destination through an online exhibition center to spur key trade and travel media to rebuild the market.

Commenting on this partnership, the Ambassador of the Republic of Fiji in China, H.E. Manasa Tagicakibau said, "I'm thrilled to see the joining of forces between Tourism Fiji and WTCF to promote Fiji. Fiji has become a popular tourism destination among Chinese travelers in recent years with active marketing and promotion by Tourism Fiji China standalone office."

"The Tourism Industry is by far the most important for Fiji's international trade in the service sector. It directly contributes approximately 34% of Fiji's GDP and supports roughly 1/3 of the entire labor force." Ambassador H.E. Manasa Tagicakibau added, "The World Conference on Tourism Cooperation and Development is held at a critical time of global tourism recovery against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic to rebuild the market. It is my responsibility to convey to you the significance of tourism to our state of 333 islands and our people, while also reinforcing global confidence in our destination with detailed plans for future development. "

Tourism Fiji has developed its Four-Stage Market Re-entry Plan to coordinate an aligned return to the market across all its international destinations in the wake of Covid-19. Currently, in stage Two, core message to the world portrays that 'Our Bula Spirit Awaits You'.

"Part of Tourism Fiji's strategy to re-enter the sector is to make the destination appealing to the Chinese market. Stage One was all about inspiring Chinese nationals to dream about a trip to Fiji. Now, as we transition to Stage Two, it is all about giving reasons for Chinese to choose Fiji for their next holiday and giving them the confidence to start planning for it." Tourism Fiji's CEO Matthew Stoeckel said, "Our China team has been active and innovative to maintain destination awareness by staying engaged with partners to explore new approaches to rebuild the market."

WTCF shares diverse views of the industry, and provides intellectual support for the recovery of 223 members from 75 different countries and regions post-epidemic. It also delivers the collective voice of the sector to the world by gathering and boosting its strength and promotes the growth of global tourism once again.

Tourism Fiji Regional Manager in Greater China, Mr. Vincent Zheng said, "We thank WTCF for giving us this opportunity to partner with them to promote Fiji in such an important event. We look forward to working with our partners to build a COVID-19 safe destination that's ready to welcome back Chinese visitors with an attractive and exciting experience once the time is right."

Li Baochun, Executive Deputy Secretary-General of WTCF, said, "Tourism Fiji has been one of the most active National Tourist Offices in the Chinese market to provide their leadership to the industry. We're honored to team up with a well-reputed organization at this critical time to showcase the resilience of the tourism industry."

Tourism Fiji is now focusing on the post-pandemic tourism prospects for Fiji, creating a COVID-19 safe destination ready to welcome back visitors with attractive offerings and exciting experience. Other measures are also on the way to be implemented as the country continues its cooperation with WTCF and other strategic partners.