THE Golden Point Resort in Rakiraki has attracted a growing number of guests over the past six years purely by word of mouth.

But this year, managing director Rachel Mishra is hoping to boost bookings and improve occupancy throughout the year by establishing a website and having a stronger online presence.

Mrs Mishra said apart from increasing business for Golden Point, she also hoped to improve tourism for the Rakiraki Suncoast.

“This is our region and we are trying to get international and local travellers aware of who we are and where we are,” she said.

Through the assistance of the Market Development Facility, Mrs Mishra hosted Tourism Suncoast stakeholders for a one-day digital online marketing workshop this week.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us and we are very thankful to the MDF for giving us exposure by establishing the Tourism Suncoast brand and also by helping us gain more exposure on the world wide web through the internet.

“Our clientele are mainly business people and families from Suva.

“About 80 per cent of our local guests are from Suva and we believe numbers have increased ever since the Kings Rd was upgraded and we would like to thank Government for that.”

Mrs Mishra said the resort was also home to technicians and technical crew from all over Europe who were commissioned to do work at the Fiji Water plant in Yaqara, Tavua.

“We also get backpackers through Feejee Experience which visits us three times a week but like all businesses, we could do with more visitors and through an online presence and digital online marketing, we are very optimistic that our occupancy will increase.”

The training was funded by MDF — a part of the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and facilitated by James Kemp, an online marketing guru from New Zealand.