MILITARY NOW THE FACE OF FIJI TOURISM AS NUMBERS FALL

by Martin Kelly, editor, Travel TrendsSYDNEY
TT Online/Pacific Media Watch:
Could this be the ultimate definition of optimism? Tourism Fiji’s regional director, Paresh Pant, told Travel Today he remained “confident” of boosting sagging visitor numbers ex-Australia.The number of Aussies who travelled to the troubled Pacific nationfell by almost 9000 – more than 30 percent - for the first two monthsof 2009.And that was before the military rulers of Fiji sacked the judiciaryand expelled media.Not withstanding all of this, Pant said Fiji’s Aussie visitor numberswould bounce back thanks to the ‘Stimulate Me’ marketing campaign and20 percent devaluation of the Fiji dollar.Sure thing. And pigs may fly.Then again, what else is he going to say? He reports to a militarydictator. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir.