Category: Resources

The Care Fiji Commitment was launched by Tourism Fiji on 15 October 2020 and was developed to be a destination-wide assurance that Fiji is ready to welcome travellers to its shores in a post COVID-19 world.

It is Fiji’s commitment to traveller safety: a programme developed to include enhanced standards of safety, health protocols and measures so that Fiji can safely welcome back international visitors.

By committing to the programme, businesses follow key steps to ensure they have a COVID Action Plan in place and staff are trained in COVID mitigation best practice.

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FHTA recommends that you do the following to ensure your business, your staff, your guests and therefore our communities remain safe:

Download: The Care Fiji Commitment – Industry Guide (Tourism Fiji)

This is a step-by-step guide compiled by Tourism Fiji illustrating the Care Fiji Commitment (CFC) and the necessary pathways of the programme. It outlines the six main steps to becoming a CFC-accredited business.

For queries or clarifications – contact James Pridgeon, Tourism Fiji jpridgeon@tourismfiji.com.fj.

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For details on what these safe Guidelines are and how you can incorporate these into your Standard Operating Procedures:

Download: Minimum COVID-safe Guidelines and Recommended Standard Operating Procedures (Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association)

This document has been crafted to provide the guidance and tools for industry to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that comply with the standards required for COVID-19 Safe operations and achieve compliance with the Care Fiji Commitment. You are encouraged to use this document to develop your own SOPs in consultation with your workers, then share it with them. You may need to update the plan in the future, as restrictions and advice changes.

Also included is the FHTA COVID-19 Compliance Checklist to ensure that you have taken all the necessary steps to keeping everyone safe in your business environment.

For queries or clarifications – contact Litia Mario, FHTA eo@fhta.com.fj.

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The CFC and the Minimum COVID-safe Guidelines have been developed in reference to the Fijian COVID Safe Economic Recovery Framework and Ministry of Tourism’s Guidelines.

Download: Fijian COVID Safe Economic Recovery Framework or Fijian Tourism Industry Guidelines (Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism & Transport)

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Registration is open for all tourism businesses in Fiji. If you would like to adopt the Care Fiji Commitment, expressions of interest are HERE.

If you missed out on the Tourism Fiji CFC webinar held on 20 October 2020, you can still watch a recording here and register your interest in the programme by filling in the expression of interest at www.cfc.com.fj.

• Fiji has established a safe “blue lanes”, open to those yachts and pleasure craft sailing to Fiji. Any boat coming to Fiji will be carefully considered on a case-by-case basis. The only port of entry will be Port Denarau Marina. If this pilot project and if successful, extending blue lanes to other ports and marinas will be considered.

• Those eligible to sail to Fiji fall under two categories, both of which will require them to be tested in another country before departing.

• If their journey to Fiji will take 14 days or longer uninterrupted at sea, once they dock in Fiji and show proof of a negative test result, everyone on board will be screened by the Ministry of Health for symptoms. If they’re deemed to be healthy, their yacht will be allowed to freely visit other ports throughout Fiji.

• Alternatively, those with a journey at sea shorter than 14 days will be required to make up the difference in quarantine once they dock in Fiji at their own cost. So, say they spend eight days alone at sea –– they will then be required to pay for six days of quarantine in Fiji, after which they can be cleared by a negative test result, also at their own cost.

• Cruise ships are still strictly banned.

• From, Monday, the 22nd of June, Fijian citizens and Fiji residents in Australia and New Zealand will be permitted to travel to Fiji only after passing through a net of new safety measures.

• These are the options for returning residents and citizens:

• A health certificate from hospital or health facility recognised by MHMS in their respective country stating that he or she quarantined in Australia or New Zealand for 14 days immediately before departure from Australia or New Zealand

• Proof of a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of their departure for Fiji.

• If you haven’t done your quarantine in Australia or New Zealand but have been tested, you can present a negative COVID-test result within 72 hours of travel and, on arrival to Fiji spend 14 days in a government-designated quarantine centre. You can then go straight home if you are symptom-free.

• Mandatory: If you’re a returning Fijian citizen or Fiji resident, and regardless of whether you arrive by air or sea, you must download the careFIJI App to enter the country. If you don’t have a smartphone, you can buy one upon landing at Nadi Airport for as little as $100. If you come to Fiji, bring a smartphone or buy a smartphone and download careFIJI.

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• As Fiji returns to a “new normal”, there will be a focus on rekindling Fiji’s vital film and television industry. Again, this will be done in a completely safe and controlled manner. Cast and crew won’t even be allowed to board their plane without proof of a negative COVID-19 test and will be screened for symptoms both before boarding and upon landing. They’ll then be entered into government-designated quarantine, whether that’s a pre-approved hotel or a remote isolated island, for the mandatory 14-day period. Absolutely all quarantine and testing costs will be borne by the production company.

• Furthermore, seeing the current pandemic and uncertainties, if company’s intend to employ the same foreign nationals for longer period may do so but they need to meet all the requirements as per the Departments new checklist.

Source: Fiji Immigration

Other Resources: Fiji COVID-19 Border Control Measures

PADI, May 2020 – As the most sought-after dive professionals in the world, PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and Dive Boats are readying their operations to carefully resume diving, training and business operations while responsibly reducing COVID-19 transmission risk and giving the health and safety of their staff and clients top priority.

Though no business can guarantee zero risk, implementing a proactive policy to manage and reduce the threat of COVID-19, and implementing it consistently, is key to reducing the risk of spreading this disease. Providing staff training on your COVID disinfection and risk reduction procedures both assures them that you take health and safety seriously, and demonstrates that you expect deliberate attention to it. Communicating your policy to your customers assures them of your interest in protecting their safety and develops confidence in returning to diving with your operation.

Most dive operators find that with a little forethought and a few resources, they can make COVID-19 risk reduction part of their normal business practices without a significant burden.

Use the following resources to get started, or to cross check what you already have in place…read more

Resources:

• PADI Best Practices to Reduce Transmission Risk
• Eight Simple COVID-19 Risk Reduction Steps for Divers poster
• DAN Disinfectant
• DAN Health Declaration Form COVID 19