Riya Bhagwan 
[Photo: Supplied]
Fiji’s tourism industry is investing in specialised equipment to help visitors with mobility challenges experience the country’s beaches and oceans.
Rosie Travel Group Managing Director Tony Whitton says the industry now has special mats and carbon-fibre wheelchairs designed to enter the water.
Whitton shared the experience of his godson, who became paralysed after developing the rare neurological condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves, causing weakness and, in severe cases, paralysis.
His godson spent more than 15 months recovering overseas before returning to Fiji.
Whitton says while recovering, his godson had two wishes, one of which was to return to the ocean.
He says the experience prompted them to ask why visitors with mobility challenges could not also enjoy Fiji’s beaches and oceans.
Whitton says a year ago, the industry did not have the equipment to make this possible.
However, today mobility challenges can now be taken to places such as the Mamanuca sandbanks and into the ocean.
“We now have special mats. We have carbon fiber special accessible wheelchairs that can now go into the ocean. This accessibility and mobility segment is just as important as any other tourism segment, and it must be serviced with thoughtfulness and dignity.”
The initiative is part of efforts to improve tourism experiences for visitors with disabilities.
