The chairman of the MSME council, Watesoni Nata Jr, has expressed concerns that small businesses should not pay the same booth fees as larger, multi-million-dollar companies at the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE). During the recent Fiji Convention 2024 held in Nadi, Mr. Nata advocated for a more strategic approach towards product and experience development, along with marketing tailored for smaller operators. He suggested implementing a tiered pricing model to ease the financial burden on these businesses.
Mr. Nata emphasized the disparity in financial capacity between small enterprises and larger corporations, noting that larger businesses could afford to pay more to help subsidize rates for smaller ones.
In response, Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill acknowledged the importance of the feedback received at the convention, emphasizing the critical role small operators play in the tourism sector. Hill highlighted that during the previous year’s Tourism SuperWeek, the organization supported over 50 small businesses to attend at no charge and facilitated sponsorship for additional training and participation opportunities.
Hill reiterated Tourism Fiji’s commitment to aiding small and micro businesses in accessing the tourism industry and enhancing their readiness for trade. He mentioned ongoing training initiatives and the creation of resources such as online insights, updates, and free support to help these businesses thrive.
Regarding the proposed tiered pricing structure for the FTE, Hill stated that they are actively considering ways to make participation more accessible for all trade-ready operators, emphasizing collaboration with the MSME Council to strengthen Fiji’s tourism industry. The next Tourism Super Week is planned for May 5 to May 9, 2025, providing more training and opportunities for small businesses.