Chefs Training
The Culinary Training Workshop or Chefs training is an ongoing initiative of the Ministry with the Ministry of Agriculture. Since its inception in 2016, the initiative aims to train local chefs on the value of locally grown products and to use them in restaurant menus. At the same time, the participating properties are encouraged to link-up and strengthen partnership with local farmers/suppliers who are encouraged to produce and supply local agricultural products, indigenous fruits and vegetables.
A total of four trainings have been held with 80 Chefs to date under this initiative covering four regions (Yasawa, Coral Coast, Rakiraki and Savusavu). The 2020 Chefs training was held from 2 – 6 March in Savusavu, with a total of 24 participants from properties ranging from seven-star resorts like Laucala Island Resort to medium and small operators like Daku Resort and Copra Shed Marina
The 2018 Chefs Training was held from 6 – 10 August at the Fiji Beachhouse by renowned Chef, Colin Chung and Pacific Island Resort Consultant partner, Greg Cornwell. A total of 13 participants from 10 properties participated in the 5-day training.
Child Safe Tourism
Why Child Safe Tourism?
- Child safe tourism is about sustainability. It involves continuing the social and economic benefits tourism brings without compromising the safety and wellbeing of children and communities.
- Everyone wants to do the right thing for children, and tourism operators can be the leaders and educators in child safe tourism.
- There is a growing demand from tourists for more ethical and child safe choices in travel experiences.
- Tourism operators are ambassadors for Fiji and children are part of this picture for Fiji.
- Tourism operators have a duty of care to community members and children when they take visitors into communities. Tourism operators are part of the solution in keeping children safe.
Community Engagement Activities
In an effort to revitalize the Fijian tourism workforce, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, in collaboration with United Nations World Tourism Organization and with the technical support of Victoria University, conducted a rapid Human Resource Needs Assessment.
- National Workshop on Facilitating Movement of Fijian Handicrafts
The workshop was conducted from 28 to 29 September 2017, by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) in collaboration with the Ministry, Department of National Heritage and Arts, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Pacific Horticultural and Market Access Program (PHAMA) and Biosecurity of Fiji. Over 30 producers, buyers, Government officials, biosecurity officials and stakeholders involved in the Fijian handicraft industry were present to discuss the new Regional Biosecurity Manual developed by SPC andnAustralian-funded PHAMA for handicraft exports. The Ministry also used the workshop to present tourism opportunities and the Fijian Made-Buy Fijian Campaign.
- Tourism Community Awareness Workshop – Dawasamu, Tailevu
The Ministry was invited by the Department of Environment to a Joint Community Awareness Workshop at Nataleira Village for the Tikina of Dawasamu from 28 to 29 August 2017. The theme of the Workshop was “Connecting People to Nature and Sustainable Tourism Supporting Local Community”. The purpose of the Joint Community Awareness Workshop was to provide the people of Dawasamu insights on conservation of the natural environment and its utilization in a sustainable manner, as a source of income.
- Tourism Awareness for International Secondary School, Suva
The Ministry on 8 May 2018 participated in an awareness session with Year 10 students of the International Secondary School, Suva, studying tourism boards around the world. The main focus of the session was to create awareness on the role of the Ministry and Tourism Fiji in the greater Fijian tourism industry.
- Radio Talk back show (August 2018)
Collaboration with Fiji Broadcasting Corporation to create tourism awareness and highlight MSME success stories. The Ministry partnered with Fiji One Television to highlight success stories of tourism MSMEs, which aired on the Talk Business Show. This provided a platform to encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to venture into tourism. A total of 11 Tourism MSME Success Stories from the Rewa, Naitasiri, Tailevu and Nadi tourism regions were aired on Fiji One Television.
- Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Digital Media Workshops (November 2018 and June 2019)
Capacity building initiative to assist the industry, in particular MSMEs, to leverage and maximize benefits from online and digital presence.
- Nausori and Navosa Highlands Familiarization Trip (April 2019)
Joint collaboration between Tourism Fiji, Destination Dreaming and Rosie Holidays to understand the current products on the ground and identify the potential for future growth in the Nausori and Navosa Highlands.
- Yalobi village, Waya, Yasawa Islands (July 2019
A collaboration with South Sea Cruises to assist the community develop day tour products. The Ministry revisited Fijians of Yalobi Village in Waya, Yasawa on 5 November 2019 as a follow-up to the community awareness engagement conducted in July 2019. The Ministry took the opportunity to conduct the FIJIAN HOSTS customer service training for 13 youth, highlighting the importance of communication in service delivery. The officials took a tour of Yalobi to obtain first-hand experience of how the tour will be conducted and how best to promote it.
- Nasavu Village – Serua
The Ministry visited Nasavu Village in Serua on 30 September 2019, in response to a request for Tourism awareness consultation. The engagement was a joint collaboration with the Serua Provincial Council and the iTaukei Affairs Board, who have been working closely with the community and other communities in Serua – exploring business opportunities and providing advice on how to better utilise their resources sustainably. Discussions focused around brainstorming ideas with the community to be involved in Ecotourism and encouraging them to understand the potentials of tourism development.
- Namaqumaqua Village, Serua
With representatives of the iTaukei Affairs Board and the Serua Provincial Office, we met with villagers of Namaqumaqua, Serua on 16 August 2019 to provide tourism and business advice to the members of Sema and Nataukele clans, in developing tour products to attract the cruise market. The joint collaboration offered an opportunity for Government and resource owners to engage and discuss key issues faced by the community in terms of income generation and sustainable tourism product development.
- Rejuvenating the Old Capital (Levuka) for Tourism Boost
Representatives from the Ministry, Tour Managers Department of Heritage and Arts and the Lomaiviti Provincial Council visited 3 districts (Nasinu, Lovoni and Bureta) and the New Hebrides community in Levuka, Ovalau to conduct a tourism scoping exercise from the 5 – 6 September 2019 in preparation for the Back to Levuka Week Programme. The visit included ‘talanoa sessions’ with these communities to identify their natural and heritage attractions that can be used for tourism related activities, while providing business advice on Tourism development. For more information visit.
- Waikubukubu village, Tavua, Ba (July 2019)
Joint awareness session with the Ministry of Forests, to facilitate the community’s eco-park venture.