THEY call it Pristine Paradise, Palau and locals even boast that the small group of islands in the North Pacific is the best tourist destination on offer.
And why would they not?
Palau is indeed a beautiful place. Not so much in term of white sandy beaches but more so for its corals and untouched reefs which make it a very good diving spot.
The famous rock islands and Palau being a shark sanctuary also add to the country’s appeal.
Once in Palau, you realise that the place is booming with Asian tourists. Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese and Japanese tourists constantly visiting the country because of the time it takes to get to Palau.
From Korea, it is only four hours compared with the 11 hours it takes to get to Fiji. China and Taiwan airlines also make regular calls to the Koror International Airport with flight times varying between three and four hours from those two destinations.
And unless Fiji finds another way of shortening travel from the Asian continent to the South Pacific, this trend is likely to continue.
In February, Palau recorded 17,000 tourists and on the travel index they were only second to Hawaii.
So big is the Asian tourist market that tourist operators such as tour companies and dive shops have sprung up all over Palau and are owned by Asians as well.
Another aspect of the Palauan tourism industry is that most workers in the hospitality industry are either from the Philippines or China.
Also last month the Palauan Government announced plans to build a bigger airport which could cater for as much as 20 flights per day resulting in an influx of 75,000 tourists per month or 900,000 tourists per year.
While these are for the future, the tourism industry could also mean new opportunities for Fijian hospitality workers.
Palau Chamber of Commerce executive and former Palau Tourism Council president Greg Gordon said there was a definite need to give the Palauan tourist industry a Pacific face.
And in order to do that, Mr Gordon is hoping to find a way in getting Fijian hospitality workers to Palau and give the industry the much needed Pacific touch.
“Palau does not have that much of a population. The majority of Palauans are working for the Government so there is a large vacuum when it comes down to the tourism industry,” he said.
“To fill this void, many employers are turning to Asia but this way we are losing the Pacific touch. What I am looking to do is to find a way to get Fijian workers here.
“They are known to be one of the best in the hospitality trade. I think the legal framework from both ends allows easy access to Palau and Palau would be ready to pay much better than what they get.
“I am hoping to get in touch with the right people in Fiji who would make this possible because there is a serious need to have the Pacific touch. Palau is a Pacific nation and the tourism industry is missing that and I think Fiji is a good option for us.”
Remittance is Fiji’s second biggest foreign exchange earner after tourism and if Mr Gordon is able to connect to the right people, Fiji could be looking at more remittance.
This also could ease the unemployment situation.
Any tourist who has been to Fiji will vouch that Fijians have the best and warmest smile and the hospitality the nation provides is something that they would remember for a lifetime.
And maybe, this smile and hospitality can be exported. American Samoa and Cook Islands are already seeking hospitality workers from Fiji and Palau is looking at ways in which they can access this resource from Fiji.
