Agents of XPert Holidays in Hong Kong speak to a local diving supplier during the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association Dive Expo tradeshow on the Plantation Island Resort. Photo:LITIA MATHEWSELL
By LITIA MATHEWSELL
Fiji’s dive industry stakeholders had a key opportunity to showcase themselves as growing viable destinations during the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association’s Dive Fiji Expo yesterday.
Following a week of site visits to Taveuni, Beqa and other local diving gems, over 20 international agents from Europe, America, Asia and New Zealand and Australia gathered yesterday they enjoyed ample opportunities to meet their local suppliers and suss out specific diving products and services for their respective clientele.
Hosted at the Plantation Island Resort, the Expo was opened with the launch of a new high definition promotional diving video produced by Sam Campbell of HD Expeditions Fiji in Pacific Harbour.
Shot on location at stellar diving spots around the country, the video showcased Fiji’s vibrant underwater world with copies distributed amongst international travel agents and writers as a key marketing tool lure the global diving market.
Video to screen Airbus A330
Association chief executive officer Michael Wong said the video would also be showcased on the Fiji Airways A330 for international travellers.
Fiji’s new national carrier was also hailed for its key role in proving more frequent and flexible travel time in the Asian region, which remains a key provider for the local diving market.
Mr Wong said the Airbus’s frequency to Hong Kong built traffic and allowed more flexibility for customers to travel to Fiji.
Accessibility
XPERT Holidays Diving manager, Vicky Cheung said accessibility was a key ingredient for clientele and they sometimes faced problems with unstable airlines and disrupted flight schedules, which marred the experience of their travellers.
She added, however, that her agency was confident the new Airbus A330s would lure more dive travellers to Fiji.