FIJI TIMES 26 March 2021 – Kinijoji Sarai has spent a good 34 years of service in the Fijian tourism industry and his recent accomplishment at the ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards is an added bonus to his retirement package.
The Fiji Pride Champion award could not come at a better time for the former Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort guest activities manager who took early retirement after COVID-19 hit the country last year.
“What a good send-off, a blessing in disguise of course for me after all the years I have spent at Outrigger and other properties along the Coral Coast,” Mr Sarai, 56, said.
“I am indeed honoured and blessed that my service to people from around the globe who preferred Fiji as their perfect holiday destination has been recognised.
“This award is for every individual who shaped me to be the person I am today. I thank the managers who believed in me and the hundreds of visitors I have served and ensured their stay at the Coral Coast was a memorable one.”
When the pandemic hit the country last year, Mr Sarai was one of the few experienced Outrigger staff who gave up his job to allow younger employees to keep their jobs so they could still provide for their families.
The Tagaqe, Nadroga native said his work in the tourism industry mostly revolved around ensuring healthy relationships were maintained between the resorts and the vanua.
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