19 Jul 2011

Fiji Tourism alarmed at sanction threat

6:45 pm on 19 July 2011

The chief executive of Tourism Fiji, Josefa Tuamoto, has hit out at those advocating sanctions against airline traffic to and from Fiji.

This comes as the Australian Transport Workers Union and the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions are considering a boycott of Fiji flights and ships amid the regime's moves against Fiji unions.

The Fiji military has beaten several union leaders with impunity, and more decrees are reportedly planned to curb unions.

But Mr Tuamoto says any industrial action that adversely impacts on tourism in Fiji would be devastating to the country and all of its citizens, and not just tourism workers.

He says tourism is responsible for employing some 45,000 full time equivalent jobs and the benefits from international visitors go far beyond this workforce.