Fiji's Turnabout a Warning – Stay away Yachts.

by Timothy Naivluwaqa/Sail-World Cruising on 20 Jan 2008 The action by Fijian interim government in changing, without notice or discussion, the length of time yachts are allowed to stay in Fiji is a warning to visiting yachts and to the whole marine industry that stability cannot be relied on. Yachts are now only allowed to stay three months instead of the previous six with a simple extension plan.

Shock waves continue throughout the yachting community in Fiji, and a $30million super yacht development at Vuda marina has been put on hold because yachties are expected to set sail for Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand and Australia which offered a longer period of stay for them. These destinations would then cream the lucrative income from both maintenance, slipping and the injection of money as the yacht owners and their guests put into the economy in restaurants, hotels and other tourist facilities.

The Fiji Times, reporting a statement by the Fiji Visitors Bureau, says that the yachting industry needs to be protected because it taps into a segment of tourism that Fiji finds great difficulty in reaching.

The bureau adds its voice to the issue, claiming legislation introduced by the interim regime is detrimental to the economy.

Bureau chairman Patrick Wong said the spin-offs from the yachting industry was huge because visitors inject money directly into the economy by buying goods, services and repairs to their boats.

Mr Wong said while yachties brought in their boats, their guests were usually flown in to cruise around Fiji waters and enjoy the sights the group has to offer.

He said the Government needed to review their decision because a period of three months was not enough for yachts.

Mr Wong said there were plans for super yacht facilities in Fiji to generate a substantial amount of income for the economy. He said crews of super yachts were professionals and they would spend a lot of money on their visits to Fiji.

At the 2008 Budget address last year, interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said the length of stay for yachts in Fiji had been reduced to three months. He said yacht owners could apply for a three-month extension to make their stay in Fiji six months.