HOW WE CAN REVIVE NADI TOWN TO BE A TOURIST DESTINATION AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT? BY CHANDAR PRAKASH NADI DOWNTOWN HOTEL & PVV TOURS – SALES DIRECTOR Nadi Town Tourism Marketing Association

Type of Tourist that are visiting Nadi Town. How will you define a tourist? Tourist can be defined as a person, who makes a tour away from home for leisure, business or other purposes for more than one day but less than a year. Based on their various needs and reasons for traveling, tourists are classified in the following categories: 1.Domestic Tourist 2.VFR Tourist 3.Business tourist 4.Leisure tourist 5.Sport and recreation tourist 6.Backpacking or youth tourist 7.Religious tourist 8.Eco-tourists 9.Education tourists 10.Special Interest Tourist

What Tourist expects in Nadi Town? “When tourist comes to Nadi Town, They should love and take lot of good memories about Nadi Town, which is how welcoming is our local stakeholders and most importantly our own local people. If we want tourist to come back again and say nice things about Nadi Town then we should fulfill the expectation of a tourist.

Places that tourist visit in Nadi Town. Town Shopping – Prouds, Tappoos, Jacks of Fiji, Amarsee, and many more clothing outlets. Town market and Local Handicraft markets New Farmer’s Club what they offer Nadi Sports and Social Club Restaurants – Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Fijian Bus Station Nadi Downtown Hotel – “Place to Stay in Nadi Town” Nadi Temple Travel Centre

How can we make this expectation possible? Tourist expects a very warm welcome by our own local community. We can offer friendly and honest service and do not make them run away or take bed memories of Nadi Town by offering over priced items, wrong information and stop forcing tourist to enter your shops. Nadi Town has variety of facilities available for a tourist from shopping, dining, and other interest that tourist expects. Tourist should be freely moving around Nadi Town and not to be harassed by touters. Touters are the most damaging factor towards the Nadi Town tourism.

The online reviews of Nadi Town don't get fooled by friendly locals- Beware of "Tourist Oriented" taxi fares!!! What a Trap! and_Oceania/Fiji/Western_Division/Nadi /Tourist_Traps-Nadi-TG-C-1.html and_Oceania/Fiji/Western_Division/Nadi /Tourist_Traps-Nadi-TG-C-1.html

Nadi Town Tourism Marketing Association The main objective & aim of this new association is to create a branding of Nadi Town and create lots of awareness through our Tourism Fiji offices based overseas. This will be only possible if the stakeholders of Nadi Town and other association of Nadi Town works together then with the help of our Tourism Fiji, we shall make this possible. Objective and Aim

Risk factor of Nadi Town Four Lane from and To Nadi Airport I also like to highlight the contributing factor towards retention of tourist from Nadi Town. Four Lane would divert away tourist from Nadi Town. If this continues then Nadi Town will be only doing business with locals. What will be the Nadi Town after 10 years? Nadi Town will be another Old Town similar as Old and New Papatoetoe in Auckland, New Zealand. Namaka and Martintar will take this opportunity and become a New Nadi Town.

How this is possible? If this association is formed we will be able to market Nadi town with the assistance of Nadi Chamber of Commerce, Nadi Town Council and Tourism Fiji and various tourist operators in Nadi. Map of Nadi Town – It’s a must to have Nadi Map to drive tourist to right places to shop, dine and stay in Nadi Town. Website for Nadi Town- This is a very essential tool that needs to be implemented and managed to create awareness with right information provided. Tourism Events in Nadi Town- We need to bring events such as Fiji Tourism Expo, Diwali, Christmas, Meetings and Forums that relates to tourism. We have noticed that if any events hosted in Nadi Town becomes an issue to some of the stakeholders. You can look at Port Denarau the events taking places attracts tourist and getting popular. WHY NOT NADI TOWN? Famil Trips for Travel Media- We need to encourage travel media and travel agencies from overseas to experience our Nadi Town and write what we have to offer and also encourage them to give positive reviews. This is only possible via Tourism Fiji and our own main key partners such as Tour operators. Stop Touting- The above will avoid touting activity and will lead to increase flow of tourist. If any stakeholders found involved in such activity then the association will have full right to act with the concern authorities and revoke the license to operate business in Nadi Town.

Conclusion “All this can be only possible if we have one voice and then we will be able to revive Nadi Town a Safe Town for Tourist” I also like to thank todays Government who are investing Dollars to promote Fiji as a tourist destination. We need to address the subject to our Government with just one voice and make Nadi Town a safe place for Tourist.

THANK YOU. HOPE TO MAKE THIS VISION POSSIBLE.