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Tourism Fiji has today launched the Care Fiji Commitment programme – designed to reassure travellers that Fiji is a safe destination to visit on their next holiday.
Developed in consultation with stakeholders from the tourism industry, through the Tourism Recovery Team and endorsed by the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce and Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the programme will play a significant role in Tourism Fiji’s market re-entry plans.
Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, Fiji has made health and safety its priority. Due to Fiji’s quick and effective response to COVID-19, Fiji has been able to contain the virus from a very early stage, and its effective containment measures meant we were able to officially declare ourselves COVID-contained on 5 June 2020.
“The Care Fiji Commitment is our obligation to the health and safety of everyone who lives and travels to Fiji. We are working together as one, across the tourism and health sectors, to fight COVID with a number of measures that help us to adapt to a new normal and get us ready to welcome international travellers back. When our borders fully re-open, it is essential that consumers recognise and are reassured that not only is Fiji the best destination, but also the safest ”, says Minister for Commerce, Tourism, Trade and Transport, Honorable Faiyaz Koya.
The Care Fiji Commitment ensures an aligned communication platform for how Fiji communicates and demonstrate its health and safety credentials and COVID-19 management protocols to both local and international visitors.
Businesses are invited to join the programme, making a commitment to adopting the Fijian Government’s COVID-19 Safe Guidelines, through the nomination of a Wellness Ambassador who will complete a training programme, create an action plan and train tourism frontliners on best practice COVID-19 mitigation.
Upon completion, Tourism Businesses can then access the Care Fiji Commitment tools and resources that can be displayed at their business.
Through the Care Fiji Commitment, the following mitigation measures will be highlighted to potential travellers:
Best practice COVID-19 mitigation measures across
the tourism industry
- Border restrictions to protect Fiji, its people and its visitors
- Visitors from COVID-contained countries and territories can enter Fiji without quarantine
- Border restrictions for other travellers with 14-day mandatory quarantine
- In-flight – Fiji Airways ‘Travel Ready’ on-board wellness programme
- At the airport – Nadi International following international airport protocols
- During your holiday – Fiji tourism business’s upholding best practice standards and operating under COVID safe guidelines
· Destination-wide COVID-19 health and hygiene
policies
- Enhanced sanitation practices across all tourism businesses
- Physical distancing practices in place
- Contact tracing protocols in place
- Case identification process in place
· Frontline staff trained in COVID-19 safe practices
- Our frontliners have undertaken a COVID Safe training programme developed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and Tourism Fiji
- A Wellness Ambassador at each business dedicated to implementing COVID-19 safe practices
· Globally recognised control and mitigation measures
- Testing and surveillance processes aligned with WHO recommendations
- Local testing available for COVID-19 at the Fiji Centre for Disease Control using the gold standard method for COVID-19 testing
- WHO accredited isolation facilities in place
- Clear procedures in place for suspected cases
- Dedicated drop-in fever clinics across Fiji for concerned visitors showing symptoms
- Dedicated COVID hotline
· CareFIJI contact tracing app
- Downloadable smartphone app for contact tracing
- Added layer of security for visitors that any contact with a COVID-19 case will be quickly and seamlessly identified
- Everyone planning a trip to Fiji will also be asked to be responsible for the wellbeing of the country and commit to the programme
- Postponing any travel if they feel unwell
- Undertaking a test prior to travel
- Downloading the CareFiji app
- Adhering to all social distancing, sanitisation and face mask regulations, where required.
Tourism Fiji will communicate the Care Fiji Commitment across its international source markets to anyone that is considering booking a trip to Fiji once the borders are opened.
Tourism Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Mr Matthew Stoeckel said, “Our visitors’ health and wellbeing are our top priority. We know safety is top of mind for travellers and we aim to reassure them to choose Fiji for their next holiday with confidence through the Care Fiji Commitment.”
“Many people aren’t aware of the incredible job Fiji has done to contain the virus. The Care Fiji Commitment is an effective way to communicate this information to our potential visitors and help them to understand what measures are in place to keep them safe within the destination”.
“It is a programme that will only be successful through the support of our industry, and I ask each and every business in Fiji to take the Care Fiji Commitment and work with us to get ready for our international visitors,” adds Stoeckel.
Industry members who are interested in being part of the Care Fiji Commitment programme should register their interest here.
ENDS
About Care Fiji Commitment: Due to the Fijian Government’s quick and effective response to COVID-19 to put critical containment measures in place – including foreign border closures, domestic travel restrictions, domestic curfews and social distancing protocols – Fiji has been able to contain the virus from a very early stage, and because of these measures, to date the country has only two active confirmed cases of COVID-19, all from returning residents who are currently in quarantine. Fiji’s total cases is 32, 28 of which have 100% recovered. There are currently no community-spread cases in Fiji (as of 15 October 2020)
Fiji assembled a tourism response team consisting of key members of the Fijian Government, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Fiji Airways, Tourism Fiji and the Tourism Industry. Together, this team has been instrumental in developing the Care Fiji Commitment.
More details on how businesses can get involved, can be found here.
About Us: Tourism Fiji, is the Fijian Government’s agency responsible for marketing Fiji as the ideal destination for leisure travel to the world, with a view to maximise the number of visitors to Fiji. Tourism Fiji has established a presence in eight key markets around the globe and its activities include advertising, public relations and media programs, trade shows and programs for the tourism industry and consumer.
For more information please contact:
For more information please contact:
Ellen Magnus
Tourism Fiji
Communications Coordinator
Mobile: (679) 7777912
Work: (679) 6722433
Email: estolz@tourismfiji.com.fj
(Source: Tourism Fiji Media Release 15th October 2020)
