31 Oct 2011

Fiji Tourism Association questions ACTU's campaign

8:09 pm on 31 October 2011

The head of Fiji's Hotel and Tourism Association says the Australian Council of Trade Union's plan to campaign against holidaying in Fiji will hurt the very people it's purporting to help.

Last week the Australian Union said the action would be in support of Fiji workers who are subject to decrees affecting freedoms and workers' rights in Fiji.

But the president of the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association, Dixon Seeto, says if there is a decline in arrivals it will adversely affect the economy and those associated with the tourism industry.

He says a number of association members have had a negative reaction from staff including union members.

"In some of the unionised properties they find that this is a little parodoxical that their own union is going out to try to reduce the number of arrivals which will affect their livelihoods so there certainly has been that kind of feeling in many of the unionised properties."

Dixon Seeto says Fiji is on track this year to receive a record number of arrivals.