Turmoil may boost NZ tourism

More Australians may come to New Zealand because of the political turmoil in Fiji and Thailand, tourism groups say, but any drop in the number of Kiwis travelling to Fiji may be short-lived.

The Government has ruled out banning New Zealanders from visiting Fiji, saying to do so would make it no better than Fiji's military administration.

However, Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully says New Zealanders should think twice about visiting the country.

Officially, the ministry says: "There is some risk to your security in Fiji and we advise caution." It also says there is a "high risk" to security in Thailand and advises against all tourist and non-essential travel to Bangkok and some nearby provinces.

Travel agents in New Zealand say there are no reports of people cancelling trips to Fiji and the pattern has been for Kiwi and Australian tourism to Fiji to drop off for a few weeks or months after past coups but recover fairly quickly.

Travel Agents Association chief executive Paul Yeo said Kiwis were "a bit used to this" in Fiji.

"Fiji has had a lot of coups and they have been [largely] bloodless." The action has been in Suva, rather than in tourist areas, which have been unaffected in the past.

Tourism Fiji chief executive Josefa Tuamoto said yesterday that it was "business as usual".

The House of Travel's Brent Thomas said at times of political unrest in Fiji there was a slowdown in bookings for a week or two, but troubled political times were good news for consumers, who could get cheap packages.

If people decide not to travel to Fiji because of Mr McCully's advice to "think twice", they are not likely to be covered for a refund under travel insurance, but it is a "grey area" and would depend on the particular policy, Mr Yeo says.

Tourism New Zealand's Cas Carter said media coverage of Thailand and Fiji had been huge.

"The main market that it is likely to affect is the family market a lot of Australians go to Thailand and Fiji, but families will be much more concerned about security and safety," she said.

New Zealand was running a high-profile marketing campaign in Australia, so "New Zealand is right there in their face as an alternative", she said.

Australia accounts for almost half the tourists coming to New Zealand.

- © Fairfax NZ News