Our pristine environment is an attraction for tourists.
It’s the base for our tourism industry, and something of great value that visitors look forward to seeing and appreciating. It is an incentive for visitors to plan holidays here.
This is why a concerted effort must be made to protect it!
This is why Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka must be acknowledged for his call for communities to keep tourism spots in Fiji clean.
His statement comes in the wake of a clean-up exercise at Wailoaloa Beach in Nadi by cruise ship passengers and Tourism Fiji staff members.
Mr Gavoka talks about recycling, proper management and community awareness, which he believes are critically important in keeping Fiji clean.
“We are one of the most beautiful countries on the planet but we need to learn to protect it,” Mr Gavoka shared.
The community, he said, should be “buying into” the need to sell Fiji’s pristine environment as a feature point of a holiday experience here.
Engaging community participation in clean-up campaigns encourages ownership and a sense of responsibility for maintaining the beauty that attracts tourists.
Clean-up campaigns, however, aren’t enough. We need to build a culture of sustainability, focusing on prevention.
That means taking ownership of keeping our environment clean. It means having the good sense to dispose our rubbish properly.
That will mean encouraging waste management processes, educational campaigns and sustainable practices that encourage participation within the tourism sector and communities for instance.
The fact that the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Take 3 for the Sea, and Tourism Fiji organised the Wailoaloa Beach clean-up to encourage environmentally conscious travel and responsible tourism must also force us to sit up and take notice.
How can we let tourists clean up our beachfront?
Tourists are arriving in our country and are part of clean-up efforts, basically picking up our rubbish!
The managing director of NCL APAC Ben Angell said taking the beach clean-up series offshore for the first time represented a significant milestone for the cruise line and its commitment to help preserve the destinations it visits.
“Fiji is one of my favourite holiday destinations to visit with my family, not only because of its white sandy beaches, lush mountains, stunning coral reefs and crystal blue water but the heartfelt welcome and culture of the people,” he said.
“As one of the most pristine destinations NCL visits, it is critically important we contribute to preserving its natural assets.”
Now that’s well and good, and we are encouraged by the initiative. Maintaining our status as a preferred destination requires a commitment though from all stakeholders.
The onus falls right back on us as Fijians to keep our country clean.
Let’s be responsible. Let’s keep our beaches clean.
Let’s dispose our rubbish carefully! Use those bins!
Let’s appreciate our environment! Let’s love Fiji!
