Tourism Expo, New Renovations Top Fiji Travel News

June 8, 2015By: Newswire

The hospitality industry in Fiji is undergoing several new developments, and with the Fijian Tourism Expo right around the corner, we’ve rounded up some notable new destinations, experiences, and renovations your clients may want to check out.

Tourism Fiji Updates

Tourism Fiji has announced that the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE) 2015, which will be held June 15-19 in Denarau, will focus on the theme of “Tourism and the Community”. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of tourism, and the positive impact it has on the country and its economy. Five hundred people, including Fijian craftsman, artists, and entertainers, are expected to attend the event, as well as 169 international buyers and media being sponsored by Fiji Airways.

The event will also be sponsored by four major inbound operators; ATS Pacific, Tourist Transport Fiji (TTF), Pacific Destinations, and Rosie Holidays, as well as tour managers who work regularly with large conferences and events in Fiji. ATS Pacific and TTF will be providing a welcome service, transfers and theme set up for the Gala night, while Pacific Destinations will be hosting the official welcome ceremony.

Rosie Holidays and Rosie DMC will host a morning tea and late cocktail hour in collaboration with Fiji Fashion Week, which recently joined Tourism Fiji as a partner for the expo. The function will aim to create a platform for local fashion designers to market their labels to a global audience.

Tour managers and Paradise Brides will organize the set-up for the expo’s food and wine festival, sponsored by Fiji’s leading distributor Victoria Wines. The family-run business will be distributing a variety of wines, as well as educating international visitors about how “sophisticated the food and wine scene in Fiji has become”.

Also, Digicel Business will serve as the event’s preferred technology sponsor of FTE 2015, now in its second year running. International delegates, media, and Fijian tourism service providers in attendance will have access to “Managed High-Speed Wi-Fi” services, allowing them to stay connected to their businesses during the event.

Visit www.fijitourismexpo.com

New Products and Experiences

Daku Resort, located in Savusavu, will be offering several new wellness retreats this year, including the “Mindfulness Retreat”, which will combine meditation and yoga through workshops designed to promote relaxation. The retreat will be based on the “Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction” course offered at the University of Massachusetts, along with other techniques that have inspired teachers Nik Welsh and Mark Baxter. Both instructors received their training in “Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy” from Openground in Sydney, Australia. The retreat will take place from October 3 through 10, 2015, and prices vary upon accommodation.

The “Karma Yoga” retreat at Daku Resort will take place August 16 – 23, and will include a blend of personal morning yoga practices followed by a visit to local villages. Instructor Clare White will teach the participants, along with the woman of the villages, proper breathing techniques and poses in an attempt to promote greater self-care and mindfulness. The retreat will also include a visit to a waterfall, and an excursion to a thermal mud pool and river. The cost for a shared room is $1500, and accomodations include all meals and two yoga sessions per day.

Daku Resort will also be holding an ethics forum entitled “Life Examined!” hosted by guest speaker Dr. Simon Longstaff, executive director of the Ethics Centre in Sydney, Australia. From October 10 – 17, guests will follow a schedule of morning discussions based on topics taken from “Plato’s Dialogues: The unexamined life is not worth living”. During the afternoon, participants will have free time to go swimming, snorkeling, hiking, or just relax.

Visit www.paradisecourses.com or www.dakuresort.com

Laucala Island Resort is offering a variety of activities and experiences this summer through its new children’s program. Kids can visit a petting farm, pick their own fruits and vegetables, and enjoy a variety of different water sports. The resort’s chefs will take children on a private tour through the island’s self-sustaining farm, after which they will get the chance to cook their own lunch with executive chef Anthony Healy. Outdoor activities include tubing, knee boarding, waterskiing, sailing and snorkeling. Families can explore the island on a guided mountain bike tour or nature walk, or go horseback riding along the beach. Laucala can also arrange a half day excursion to the Tavoro Waterfalls, located inside Bouma National Heritage Park.

Visit www.laucala.com

Musket Cove Island Resort and Marina, located on Malolo Lailai Island, has announced the rebranding of Mandara Spa to Makare Wellness Spa. The facility, operating under the guidance and management of Anne Hazelman, offers four treatment rooms, a salon, changing facilities, and relaxation areas. The spa menu offers treatments from around the world, as well as specialty Fijian treatments and ingredients.

The resort will also be welcoming 35 sailing boats from the World ARC Sailing Rally to its marina in July. The 110 crew members of the private yachts have spent several weeks exploring Fiji’s islands as part of the around-the-world voyage. Crew members will enjoy a week of activities including Barbeques, a Fijian feast and a variety of other programs the resort has to offer before setting out to their next destination on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu.

Visit www.musketcovefiji.com

Royal Davui Island Resort has announced the opening of its new spa, which includes two treatment rooms and skincare products designed by Pure Fiji. The spa is decorated with Fijian artifacts, custom local paintings, and offers views of the resort’s living barrier reef and coral gardens.

Visit www.royaldavuifiji.com

Turtle Airways is now offering scenic flights and day trips with unique experiences. The airline is offering 20-, 40-, and 55-minute plane tours departing from Nadi that will fly guests over rainforests, tropical jungles and coral reefs. Unique experiences offered through Turtle Airways' day packages include a visit to the central Yasawa Islands, also known as the Blue Lagoon region following the 1980 film starring Brooke Shields.

Visit www.fiji.travel/transport/turtle-airways

Dive Wananavu, part of Wananavu Beach Resort located on the Sun Coast, has just qualified as a PADI 5 Star Dive Resort. Membership to the organization is awarded to progressive PADI Dive Resorts that provide the full range of PADI diver education programs, equipment selection and experience opportunities for guests, all while  promoting aquatic environmental awareness. Dive Wananavu offers custom built dive boats, maze dives, and a “swim-throughs” with views of shrimp, barracuda and even sharks.

Visit www.wananavu.com

Yasawa Island Resort and Spa will be offering a new “Wellness Escape Fiji” package from October 23-28, 2015. Included in the five-night/six-day package are yoga classes, massage treatments, and nutrition and wellness workshops. Accommodations will include all meals, five daily spa treatments throughout the week, sunrise yoga and meditation sessions, and airport and return transfers from Nadi to Yasawa Islands.

Visit www.worldtravellers.co.nz/retreat

Improvements and Renovations

After undergoing renovations, the Mana Island Resort & Spa has announced that it will officially open its new Ocean View Rooms and swimming pool to all guests on June 28, 2015. The renovations were originally set to be unveiled a week earlier, but the reveal was delayed due to bad weather and a shortage of business equipment. Guest rooms will have a new bathroom layout, and offer both modern and traditional décor. The resort’s Mamanuca Restaurant is still undergoing renovations, and is set to open August 31, 2015.

Visit www.manafiji.com

Nadi Bay Resort Hotel has announced that is now under the new management of Wesley Ramiani. The new general manager is Jack Stark, who was formerly with the Warwick Hotel. Nadi Bay Resort Hotel will soon undergo extensive renovations, including an upgrade of all rooms and apartments including furnishing, bedding, and lighting.

Visit www.fijinadibayhotel.com

Treasure Island Resort has announced the opening of its new “‘Premium Beachfront Bure” rooms. The bures (Fijian for “wood and straw hut”) have traditionally styled décor with a modern twist and are 25 percent larger than the existing bures on the island. They can accommodate two adults, three children and an infant. The facility’s bathrooms have been extensively remodeled and separated from the main living space for added privacy. The resort also offers interconnecting family bures.

The resort has also announced the addition of a second transfer vessel for guests. The new boat was added due to high demand for direct island to airport transfers received from guests. The hourly transfer by boat means visitors can start their vacation immediately upon arrival in Fiji without the need for overnight accommodations on the mainland.

Visit www.treasureisland-fiji.com

After being closed for more than a month for renovations, Viwa Island Resort has announced that it is now open. The resort underwent the remodel after coming under new management, and now has and updated look. Viwa Island Resort is a tropical boutique resort with 11 traditional Fijian beach front bures, and is located in the Yasawa group of islands, west of Nadi International Airport and north of the Mamanuca group of islands.

Visit www.viwaislandresort.com