Fiji Solomon Islands dispute threatens tourism
Tourism operators say a dispute between the national airlines of Fiji and the Solomon Islands is driving the costs of travel in the Pacific to unprecedented levels.
The standoff has escalated to the point where all flights between the two countries have been suspended.
South Pacific Tourism Organisation’s Ilisoni Vuideketi is calling for an immediate end to the dispute, fearing a loss of tourism from the suspended flights could be detrimental to the region, as reported in Pacific Beat
"The impact right now is that travelling time has gone up… and the cost of such travel has also gone up," Vuideketi told Pacific Beat.
“What I’m telling them is why don't they find out a way forward, find out a mutually beneficial arrangement… instead of one airline coming up and then flexing their muscles."
The dispute between the two countries arose when the Solomon Island’s Civil Aviation Authority refused a request for extra flights to Honiara, with Fiji Airways responding by ceasing flights from Solomon Islands.
Vuideketi said there is currently no data suggesting travel numbers have suffered, but he fears it is just a matter of time.
"Any disruptions in air services does have a direct impact on tourist travels," he said, adding that the cancellation of flights also makes it difficult for visitors from places like Europe and the US to plan holidays in the Pacific region.
"The airlines are key stakeholders to tourism growth in the region and they should come down and discuss properly how they can resolve these issues," Vuideketi said.
Relations between the two countries in the past have typically been positive, with Vuideketi suggesting that a political intervention may be necessary in order to end the dispute.
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