Beacon Holidays Adds Fiji To Indian FIT’s Options

Bhisham Mansukhani - Mumbai

Heena Munshaw

Continuing on its niche, FIT focus in the Indian market with a destination mix that includes Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil, Beacon Holidays has launched packages for Fiji in association with Air New Zealand. Located in proximity to Australia and New Zealand, the destination is poised to become part of a potentially lucrative FIT circuit in the Asia Pacific region.

Says Heena Munshaw, director, Beacon Holidays, “Traffic towards the South Pacific is on the rise and it primarily comprises the frequently-travelled Indian FIT Indian. There is a captive segment of Indians travelling to Australia and New Zealand and they could potentially include Fiji in their itinerary. Fiji has naturally-gifted attractions like the reef that runs right through the island. Further, food and language are non-issues given the huge population of Indians living there. They even speak some of the indigenous Indian languages.”

Munshaw was in Fiji recently to attend BULA tourism trade event, organised by the local travel trade of Fiji. She was the only Indian delegate to visit the event and she also extensively toured the cluster of islands to experience the destination first hand. “Fiji Tourism and the local ground handlers are keen to receive more Indian tourists and the proximity to Australia and New Zealand is an advantage that should see them receive many more of them,” says Munshaw. Beacon Holidays has, for now, released a six-day package.

Underlining some of the unique features of Fiji, Munshaw mentioned that the Meridien line passes through the island therefore tourists could virtually time travel by physically crossing the line. Other activities include scenic sea plane trips, scuba diving and wind surfing. Speaking of accommodation, Munshaw recalled a common remark made by some of the tourists who have visited Fiji in the pasts, saying,”Why rent a room when one can rent an island.”