Tourism Fiji has reactivated the Tourism Action Group (TAG) to coordinate the industry’s response to an escalating global crisis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka said after an interview in Nadi yesterday. The move, driven by Tourism Fiji’s marketing arm, aims to bring hoteliers, airlines, inbound operators and government agencies together to prepare for and mitigate potential fallout from rising instability in the Middle East that Mr Gavoka said now threatens the global economy.
Dr Paresh Pant, chief executive of Tourism Fiji, convened the committee and formally activated TAG, Mr Gavoka said. “So immediately, the Middle East crisis began to escalate and [was] threatening the global economy. The CEO of Tourism Fiji, Dr Paresh Pant activated TAG and called a committee to come together and guide the industry during this crisis,” he told reporters. The group will provide a platform for industry stakeholders to coordinate messaging and contingency planning, Mr Gavoka added, stressing the move shows “tourism is not sitting idle.”
The reconstituted TAG is chaired by Damend Gounder, managing director of Tour Managers Group. Mr Gavoka noted Mr Gounder previously led TAG in critical periods in 2000 and 2006, underscoring the committee’s pedigree as an emergency response mechanism. “The beauty of TAG is that it brings the industry together — hoteliers, airlines, in-bound operators, Tourism Fiji and other arms of the Government,” Mr Gavoka said, naming Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Finance among the agencies that can be drawn in as needed.
Dr Pant said industry stakeholders overwhelmingly welcomed the revival and were ready to work in unison. “Tourism industry in Fiji has been very resilient, very enthusiastic and they do realise the gravity of the situation,” he said. He emphasised the need for a single, coherent national message: “If we go out with a united voice, it’s easier for our trade partners, it’s easier for the international media to know what Fiji is doing, its level of preparedness and how we will also be serving the guests when they come to Fiji and giving them certainty as well.”
Historically, TAG has been used as a coordinating body in times of disruption; Mr Gavoka referenced the group’s role across decades of dislocation. The current activation is the latest development as governments and tourism operators worldwide brace for secondary economic effects from geopolitical shocks, such as reduced demand, flight disruptions and insurance or security concerns that can complicate travel planning.
By reactivating TAG, Tourism Fiji is signalling an industry-wide, pre-emptive approach focused on preparedness, communications and stakeholder alignment rather than reactive, piecemeal responses. The committee has been called together to guide the sector through immediate risks, develop mitigation measures and present a unified position to international trade partners and the media, officials said.
Further operational details — including the committee’s meeting schedule, specific mitigation measures under consideration, or engagement plans with source-market partners — were not released yesterday. Officials say those steps will be coordinated through TAG as the situation develops.
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