University of the South Pacific Vice-Chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra (left) and Permanent Secretary for Tourism Elizabeth Powell after signing the memorandum of understanding yesterday. Photo: JONA KONATACI
By RANOBA BAOA
The Ministry of Tourism and University of the South Pacific (USP) have signed an agreement aimed at helping develop the tourism sector in Fiji.
The memorandum of understanding was signed yesterday by Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary, Elizabeth Powell, and USP vice-chancellor, Professor Rajesh Chandra.
Ms Powell said the agreement will help develop the university students at the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management so they could have an experience with many of the vital national projects for tourism.
Ms Powell said students from USP would be able to come on board with the Tourism Ministry in assisting in research projects, such as the International Visitor Survey (IVS).
“One in three of every single job in Fiji is in some way or another connected to tourism,” she said.
“This is to develop our young people as well so we spread the learning and improve the quality of what we are producing at the Ministry of Tourism with their input.”
Ms Powell said the involvement of the students would not take them away from their academic commitments but it would supplement what they are learning at the USP.
“There are a number of projects where they would be an easy fit with the involvement of students and the team from USP,” she said.
“That would include the research projects, the international visitor survey, which is something that we are developing further and we’ll be involving Tourism Fiji in this.
“This will allow us to bridge different aspects of the tourism sector and allow us to ensure the involvement of the students from USP, the Ministry of Tourism and the industry at large.”
New standards
Professor Chandra said the work to be undertaken through this agreement would set new standards in tourism development and planning for the industry as a whole.
“The School of Tourism and Hospitality Management runs an internationally accredited program,” he said.
“We have responded to the requirements of linking more strongly with industry, in particularly putting people out in the industry to get real hands on experience of what life awaits them once they graduate.
“The research in that school should be a tool for developing the tourism industry.
“We hope it will be used much more in the future assess the Ministry of Tourism, analysing what is going on in the industry, working out where it is succeeding and where things could be done better.”
The Ministry is looking at having a similar memorandum of understanding signed with the Fiji National University as well.