BREATHTAKING “PRIVATE ISLAND VACATIONS” IN FIJI TO OFFSET COVID TRAVEL SLUMP

Fiji’s COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce (CRMT) is promoting “Luxury Vacations in Paradise” in partnership with Fiji Airways and the Fijian tourism industry.

Globally, service-driven countries are progressively shifting their focus away from mass tourism to more niche, high-spending travellers – who are suggested to be the first to travel. Therefore, in an effort to build on the success of current initiatives, such as the “Blue Lane”, and based on strong interest from industry, the CRMT and Fiji Airways, in close consultation with border agencies and industry, has embarked on “Luxury Vacations in Paradise”.

The overarching approach of “Luxury Vacation in Paradise”, launched several months ago, is to allow tourists to safely enter and holiday in Fiji – with the quarantine period being part of the Fijian holiday experience. This is an extension of the provisions for “Vacation in Paradise (VIP) Lane” under the Framework.

The VIP Lane refers to an end-to-end safe travel pathway where safe travel begins from the point of origin, includes port of departure and mode of travel to port of arrival and transfer to a designated private resort. Movement is organised and/or contained within the lane and the return journey to point of origin follows the same pathway. Throughout this pathway, there is minimal contact with the local Fijian population following clear guidelines for quarantine and testing for those, who will be coming in contact with them.

Notwithstanding mandatory negative COVID-19 testing, travellers will need to undergo strict pre-departure and on-arrival health and hygiene protocols, including installing the careFIJI mobile application and keeping their device’s Bluetooth turned on. Approved private island resorts are geographically secluded from main land and the larger local population.

For more information on the Luxury VIP, contact the CRMT Secretariat on crmt@govnet.gov.fj