Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Premila Kumar

The Tourism Minister has expressed her disappointment towards tourism agencies that fail to provide services they market through brochures and flyers.

Minister responsible Premila Kumar says while agencies continue to market Fiji as a tourism destination, they should also ensure the services marketed are delivered.

“When it comes to marketing we are very good. We’ve got a number of agencies who are marketing Fiji, but when it really comes to marketing and producing the flyers, the brochures, the tools that is required to take the tourist to a particular place in Fiji, we are not doing as much as we should be doing.”

She says municipalities also play an important role in marketing Fiji, as too often, cruise ships berth at key ports in the country with an unpleasant sight of emptiness.

“Sometimes when the cruise ships are here on a Sunday, the whole city is dead. There’s nothing happening in the towns and cities.”

The minister says more work needs to be done in the marketing sector to ensure tourists experience true Fijian hospitality.