Fiji’s Blue Lagoon Cruises has reported a better than expected start to the year with new bookings received for the period 01-15 January running at double the rate for the same period in 2006.
Blue Lagoon Cruises, Director Commercial Operations, Scott Forrest, told The Mole that the effects of Fiji’s recent political turbulence have proven drastically different to the more serious activity surrounding the failed May, 2000 coup, adding, “By comparison, the December 2006 coup has overall been viewed as very peaceful.”
“This overall view in combination with the fast response from the Tourism Action Group (TAG), the Fijian travel industry and the subsequent change in government travel advisories, will see the destination recover far more quickly than in 2000.
“The Fiji Visitors Bureau (FVB) ‘Fiji Me’ campaign in combination with the Air Pacific fare initiative has been given the destination the huge exposure it needed to reignite interest and the bookings are starting to pour in.”
Scott added that bookings for the boutique island cruise operator’s premium ‘Gold Club’ product represented more than 30% of the new business, with, “The current environment offering wholesalers and their retail partners an excellent opportunity to capture that element of the travelling public which typically travels domestically by air for their holidays”.
Scott said, “These are the people who traditionally wait until the New Year to look for special offers and deals and the timing of the ‘Fiji Me’ campaign in conjunction with the current steep discounting has positioned Fiji perfectly to leverage good business off of this pent-up demand”.
The Mole will be reporting next week on a discussion with Scott about Blue Lagoon’s Operation.
Special Fiji Report by The Mole
