Talking Points: Fiji (February 24, 2016)
Talking Points – Fiji
Copyright © 2016 – Travel Leaders Group LLC. All rights reserved.
The following Talking Points can be used in conversations with the media and clients who have questions about travel to Fiji. (February 24, 2016)
1. We are notifying clients whose travels to or from Fiji may be impacted because of Cyclone Winston, which made landfall on February 20 as a Category 5 storm and was among the biggest ever recorded in the southern hemisphere.
2. We are here to assist our clients; their safety and well-being is our top priority.
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make an informed decision about their travel plans.
Below you will find additional information, supporting material and statistics to help further illustrate each talking point.
1. We are notifying clients whose travels to or from Fiji may be impacted because of Cyclone Winston, which made landfall on February 20 as a Category 5 storm and was among the biggest ever recorded in the southern hemisphere.
Cyclone Winston – a Category 5 storm – made landfall in Fiji on February 20 with winds of up to 200 mph, torrential rain, and waves of up to 40 feet.
o The center of the storm hit just north of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu. “It changed direction at the last minute, sparing the capital Suva the full force of its winds,” reported the BBC.
o Strong winds and flooding from Winston have caused severe damage across the island nation. The Weather Channel reports that a month-long state of disaster has been declared.
According to the The Fiji Times Online, 42 people were killed and more than 34,000 are in evacuation centers.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Prime Minister of Fiji warns his country “faces a long and difficult recovery.”
o “’Almost no part of our nation has been left unscarred,’ Mr Bainimarama said in a national address on [February 23].”
o “He said Winston, believed to be the most powerful storm ever to hit Fiji, had left ‘a terrible trail of destruction in its wake’ and created a need that is great and urgent.”
o “’Right now the priority is on restoring essential services and supplying our people with sufficient food, water and shelter,’ he said.”
Travel Agent reports that “Most of the hotels in Fiji sustained little to no damage following Tropical Cyclone Winston and most continue to remain operational…
However, there are a number of properties that require time to assess and repair damage. Travel Agent’s full list is here; several on the list include:
o At the Hilton Fiji Beach Resort & Spa, emergency response teams are working on restoring services and removing safety hazards. Due to debris and pollution, the pool will remained closed until further notice.
o Raffles Gateway Hotel is recommending that guests scheduled to arrive within the next few days should delay their travel until after Feb. 24. For those guests who would prefer to cancel, the hotel will provide an official letter outlining the cyclone details to assist with claiming travel insurance.
o The Sheraton Denarau Villas, The Westin Island Resort & Spa and the Sheraton Fiji Resort have all sustained some damage but remain open with limited services available. As of Tuesday, the three properties reported that they were experiencing power failure and certain services such as air-conditioning, hot water supply, and TV and guest room lighting will be affected until power is fully resorted. Date changes and cancellations can be made without penalty up until February 25.
o The Sheraton Resort & Spa will remained closed until May 31 due to extensive damage. All guest stays at the resort can be canceled until this date. No new bookings will be accepted for travel before June 1.
o The Sheraton Tokoriki will remained closed until further notice. All guest stays at the resort can be canceled for the next two weeks without penalty.
Updates on the situation in Fiji can also be found on Fiji Tourism’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Fiji) and its Twitter page (https://twitter.com/TourismFiji).
2. We are here to assist our clients; their safety and well-being is our top priority.
We are advocates for our clients; and they know that by working with a true travel professional, we are there for them before, during and after their trip should they need us – which gives them peace of mind.
Travel agents are trained to monitor situations, such tropical storms and hurricanes, which may impact their clients’ travel plans. As such, they also are in a position to work on alternative travel plans and have those in place the moment the need arises.
If changes in travel plans are necessary due to weather, many times, travel agents are able to rebook clients for no additional charge or are able to obtain travel vouchers and/or refunds that clients may not know are due or available to them.
With limited airline seats available, travel agents have the resources needed to quickly rebook clients and reserve the next available seat.
o Travelers who book on their own either have to “roll the dice” by calling an 800-number or standing in a lengthy customer service line to try get rebooked. Using a travel agent can essentially move you to the “front of the line.”
We strongly encourage all of our clients, whether they are traveling domestically or internationally, to purchase travel insurance, particularly right at the same time as travel has been booked. Travel insurance offers an additional layer of protection for travelers and can potentially help save a traveler hundreds or thousands of dollars if a medical or travel emergency occurs.
We highly recommend that U.S. citizens follow the advice of the State Department and register their international travel plans at https://step.state.gov/step. By entering information into the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), the Department of State can better assist travelers in an emergency.
3. We provide the facts so our clients can make an informed decision about their travel plans.
We closely monitor the U.S. Department of State website for travel alerts as well as the more severe travel warnings for all destinations, including those that are most popular with our clients.
o There are currently no Travel Warnings or Travel Alerts in place for Fiji.
Should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination, we alert clients who may be planning to travel there so they can determine for themselves if they still wish to travel.
Also, should we become aware of an issue for a specific destination where a client is currently located; we try to immediately contact the client to check on their well-being and work to assist them if they require alternate travel arrangements.