Rosie Holidays: International Business Awards Recognition Gives A Strong Boost

Tomorrow we will know who are the excellent role models for other Fijian businesses to aspire to be like for excellence.

Yes, that’s right, it will be made known at the 2017 Prime Minister’s International Business Awards, which features 12 exciting categories that provides due recognition to organisations from a wide range of sectors.

The awards are managed by Investment Fiji and are the most prestigious business awards to recognise and reward the best in business in Fiji.

SunBiz interviewed  “Supreme Award” and “Excellence in Innovation” 2016 awards winner Rosie Holidays managing director, Tony Whitton.

Below are the excerpts of the interview:

1.  Have the awards made any impact to your business?

Rosie Holidays were honoured to receive the Prime Ministers International Business Supreme Award last year.

It is recognition by the highest office in the country on many extraordinary local business that hold their own on the global stage with excellence and innovation at the heart of everything they do.

As a Fijian family owned company,

Tourism is Fiji’s largest foreign exchange earner that contributes about 1/3 to our Gross Domestic Product.

We are delighted to play our part in the creation of jobs and winning as many prospective international visitors to Fiji to find inspiration and happiness.

2. Has your business registered for this year’s Prime Minister’s International Business Award?

Yes, we did, we believe it’s important that businesses involved with Fiji’s largest foreign exchange earner and employer, Tourism are part of this recognition system.

3. How successful has the business been from last year?

This year, we will probably enjoy a six per cent growth in our Rosie numbers.

We are budgeting eight per cent growth in our visitor numbers.

The first four months of this year was quite tough, but we’re hoping we will finish strong by the end of the year.

4. What are some of your future plans?

Tourism is a highly competitive business and I think many times people forget just how hard it is to keep attracting 830,000 international visitors that come to Fiji each year.

These visitors are constantly bombarded with enticements from other competitor destinations such as Tahiti, Bali, Maldives, Mauritius, Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

So, as a company, we have to stay very focused and there are three key areas of our focus:

(i)  Technology

In 2016, last year Rose launched its “Feejee Traveller App”, which allows international visitors to book tours, transfers and activities from their devices.

(ii) Customer Experience

When international visitors come to Fiji; we want them to find happiness and inspiration.

(iii) Business  and Market Expansion

We are finalising discussions with our national airline to resume charter operations into China next year during the Chinese New Year.

We are investing a lot in technology allowing our international tour wholesalers to book hotels and activities online.

Rosie Company Background:

Rosie Holidays is a family company established by Roy and Rose Whitton in 1974, who were among pioneers of tourism in the Fiji Islands.

The company has become famous throughout the South Pacific for its excellence, integrity, and strong family values.

The Rosie Travel Group has a diverse portfolio of tourism services, including tourism transportation, car rentals, tour desk and hospitality lounges, and resort ownership.

It is a family business built on three key principles:

(i) Inspired staff who give their best every day to help our customers fulfill their goals.

(ii) Motivated customers who delight in the services and products that Rosie provide.

(iii) And a real belief that Tourism can improve the social and economic well-being of our people.

So, for 40 years now, Rosie has been building strong partnerships with customers from over 48 different nations, who continue to enjoy our services and buy our products.

The company is a respected brand and has been voted ‘Fiji Ground Operator of the Year’ 16 times in a row, receiving the Tourism Fiji/Excellence in Tourism Awards.

In 2016, the Prime Minister of Fiji, recognised Rosie Holidays, awarding it the prestigious Prime Minister’s Exporter of the Year award, acknowledging Rosie’s contribution to the Tourism Industry and foreign exchange earnings in the company and providing jobs to over 600 people.

The services Rosie provide include: Airport welcome, world class ground transportation (with over 120 vehicles), expert ground handling staff, lounges and tour desks located in all major hotel lobbies.

At the heart of the Rosie organisation, is a constant drive to provide new and innovative products which will delight customers, and Tour Operator partners that use Rosie Holidays.

The company is now run by Rosie’s son, Tony Whitton, and sister Rose Whitton, who continue the rich legacy of family values, providing international tour operators highly personalised service, creative itineraries and an energetic and well trained team that has a never-ending focus on the customer.

The company is 100 per cent family owned and employs over 650 staff.

(Source: Fiji Sun Online 20 October 2017)